Dr. Stephen Hawking says the Temperatures will reach 482 degrees. Are we entering in a Steam Age?

Question

Dr. Stephen Hawking made the statement that the Earth "might end up like Venus, at 250 degrees centigrade and raining sulfuric acid."

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/2006-06-22-hawking-warming_x.htm

That's far above the boiling point. Are we starting to enter into a Steam Age?

Dr. Hawking must be right. No one is as smart as him.

When ever global warming is discussed qualifiers such as might, could, probably, may, etc are used in abundance.

Does indicate speculation as well?

Exactly Ken - There no turning back now, Dr. Hawking is right. We're entering a steam age, and Algore says we only have 10 years left!

I'll admit that I'm not as smart as them, so I guess that they are right.

Answer 1

I love how the AGWers come out in droves and state that Stephen Hawkings is only speculating, but when climatologists use the same type of qualifying words like they do it is an empirical theory.

Answer 2

I have a real problem with any "scientist" who compares the Venus atmosphere with Earth's. The atmosphere on Venus is 96% CO2. Earth's atmosphere contains 0.04% CO2. That means that the Venus atmosphere is 2400 times more concentrated in CO2 then the Earth. Over the last 100 years, CO2 concentration in the Earth's atmosphere has only increased approximately 0.01 percent - this value includes both natural and man-induced causes. Given this rate of induction of CO2 into the Earth's atmosphere, it would take about 9600 years to reach a concentration similar to that of Venus.

I have intentionally simplified the above explanation. The climate is extremely complex and we do not understand it well at all. There are effects from solar winds, the oceans, rain, as well as other natural phenomena.

So, yes in theory Earth's atmosphere could become like Venus but we could also be sucked up into a black hole or I am sure there is some probability that the Sun could burn out in January 2008 but I am not going to seriously alter my lifestyle to prepare for the possibility that the Earth will be sucked into a black hole.

Answer 3

Well, THAT'S a worst case scenario if I've ever seen one! The scare tactics of these people are becoming so outrageous that they're ridiculous.

(RainbowWarrior: That article is just from a year ago. You guys still cite IPCC reports from 2001, and before. It takes more like ten years for an article to become less credible, not one. I'm sure this Hawking guy still thinks he's right, or says he is. YOU need to "keep digging" for a better way to disprove a point.)

Answer 4

I can't imagine that being the result of releasing all the CO2 now locked up in coal and oil, there just isn't enough coal and oil in the world to do that. But in about a billion years, when the Sun gets a little warmer, although long before it becomes a red giant, that will be the fate of the Earth.

Answer 5

Hawking's statement was correct. The Earth might end up like Venus at some point, if the appropriate conditions are met.

Notice that Hawking said "might". He didn't say "is likely to" or "is very likely to". The statement you quote is very nebulous. By when is the Earth supposed to meet these conditions, and how likely is it?

Hawking is a theoretical physicist. He's not a climate scientist, and he defers to the experts in the field as to specifics regarding what is plausible over various timelines. Unfortunately several meteorologists and geologists refuse to make such wise decisions, and comment on fields of science outside their expertise.

Other people without scientific expertise take the comments of scientists out of context to make it seem like they're saying something they're not. I think purposefully misrepresenting another person's position is simply a sign a weakenss of one's own position.

Mikira will win top answer for agreeing with Jello (unless someone later agrees with him and also claims that the Sun has gotten 50% hotter in the last 30 years).

I already pointed out the difference between Hawking and climate scientists, but skeptics don't care about the details. To them all scientists are the same and all qualifying statements are equal, regardless of source and context. That's why they always quote meteorologists.

As a writer you'd think Mikira would know better.

Answer 6

Dr. Stephen Hawking vs. some person on some obscure corner of the net going by the handle "jello". Hmmm. Who to believe?

Edit:
Interesting assumption there Jello. I never said you were wrong. But nice of you to come to terms with the fact.

Edit:
But Dana, Mikira has almost as few "best answers" (percentage-wise) as I do. She needs the points. I say give them to her Jello!

Answer 7

Wow, the Dr. gets information from somewhere other than Fox News and Rush Limbag...

Too Bad the article is dated 6/22/2006

Keep Digging, Dude

Answer 8

he is not a climatologist so why should we believe him


just using the global warming peoples own statements against them.
they can not have it both ways.

Answer 9

He's only speculating, or he would'nt have used the word 'might'.