Environment Arctic ice melt opens Northwest Passage

[The Helper]

PARIS - Arctic ice has shrunk to the lowest level on record, new satellite images show, raising the possibility that the Northwest Passage that eluded famous explorers will become an open shipping lane.

The European Space Agency said nearly 200 satellite photos this month taken together showed an ice-free passage along northern Canada, Alaska and Greenland, and ice retreating to its lowest level since such images were first taken in 1978.

The waters are exposing unexplored resources, and vessels could trim thousands of miles from Europe to Asia by bypassing the Panama Canal. The seasonal ebb and flow of ice levels has already opened up a slim summer window for ships

Arctic ice melt may open NW Passage sooner

Arctic ice has shrunk to the lowest level on record, new satellite images show, raising the possibility that the Northwest Passage that eluded famous explorers will become an open shipping lane.

www.nbcnews.com

 

[Ninva]

That's neat, but also scary... I doubt it'll be the end of the world when the ice melts, but I do figure there will be mass destruction all over the world.

 

[esb]

The only thing that Ice caps melting would be messing up the salt waters, since Ice is fresh water, it would mix, and who knows what it could cause. Probably just kill a few species...

 

[WolSHaman]

could cause. Probably just kill a few species...

Bah! Species are for wusses! The only place other species belong is on my plate!

 

[esb]

Actually, extinction does affect us. Let's say it messes fishes up. We NEED fishes for a lot of things. They are gone... food is gone. If it didn't affect fishes, ti could affect the predators, which would cause them to over populate, they over populate, they eat a lot, and their food would be gone, and suddenly they all die. etc.

 

[juty]

That is scary and before we realize what we have done it's going to be gone

 

[Miz]

Thats why scientist are trying to clone animals that are going to be wipe out this way we don't have to worry as much...

But the argument here is this our fault or is it normal

Just to mention I am a Environmentalist and I say Stop Global Warming

but the major problem about the human kind is we have no clue what going on...

Because they have looked at ice records from the past and there were Long Cold periods and then Periods of Extreme heat then it would switch back and forwards etc.

Also if you look in the past havn't things died out?
Yes many species have died in the past for reasons of Temperature and oxygen changes don't think I'm right? Scientist have found out that
350 years ago there were insects as large as eagles...
_____________________________________________________

Anyway I say we have to clean up our acts here or face the punishment
from Mother Nature. Don't forget shes a girl she hits hard...

 

[The Helper]

Its real hard for us as limited lifespan humans with a relative short amount of recorded history to understand the effects of climate change over a long period of time. We can see it in fossil records and scientists lay the past out as best as they can but it is just real hard for regular people to see real effects over a long time. Just because it is cooler one year when we are supposed to be warming and because they predict lots of hurricanes next season but there are none means nothing in the long term scale of things. These year by year drops are barely noticeable and things that we do one year do not necessarily effect the next - 50 years of burning fossil fuels is probably going to have a long term effect but that effect will be going on still even if we get of them because the chain of events has started.

It is the limited only to your own life and kids life natural perspective people naturally have. It is inherent to our based on observed activity influenced thinking. We just cannot properly gauge in our minds, in my opinion, how these long term effects really happen and manifest themselves.

 

[Miz]

They also said that the Jet Stream was going to get slower
but for unknown reason they have said that the Jet stream has gotten faster...?

They also say that we should be able to not be wiped out... Because unlike animals we don't have to evolved we can adapt or if we can't do that we will use technology to adapt as well.

But remember
"Great Intelligence comes Great Responsibility"


Thats my like 4 cents but counting my last post that makes like 10 cents

 

[esb]

I say it's natural
Who knows if this has been going on for the past 2000 years, but since now we have instant pictures, videos, graphs, satellites, and all that high-tech-instant stuff, we can notice it more, and get it around more...