Larsen Ice Shelf Collapses

Cally writes in: "The BBC reports that the Larsen B Ice Shelf in Antarctica, a 200m thick ice floe covering 3,250 sq km, has disintegrated. This is terrible news. The widely respected British Antarctic Survey are quoted as saying "We knew what was left would collapse eventually, but the speed of it is staggering[...] [It is hard] to believe that 500 billion tonnes of ice sheet has disintegrated in less than a month." As a Greenpeace member who's been following the debate for over a decade, it's hard not to feel aggrieved at those with their own agenda who have pushed the theory that global climate change isn't happening. Risk = probability x consequence..." The big iceberg is a separate event.

Comments

If global warming was real...

[Brian Stretch]

...the Kyoto treaty wouldn't have exempted China, India, Brazil, and every other third world nation with major and growing pollution problems.

And there wouldn't be so much technophobic fear of nuclear power, which is our best shot at non-atmospheric-polluting power generation by far.

Replies thus far

[epiphani]

have been completely and absolutely disappointing. You would accually expect slashdot users to have some sembelence of clue, considering we're generally talking about issues far more complex than simple common sense.

How many of you have been to china? Seen any pictures of the Yangzte River? Ever been up close enough to it to see the wonderful color it is? How about the fact that China planned to divert another river
using nuclear weapons.

Now, lets get away from China, regardless of the fact that they are 1/6th the worlds population. The greenhouse effect is not a myth. I cannot believe the level of ignorance being shown on here. Hell, considering we're supposed to be at least partially enlightened a generation.

I feel incredibly confident about the world my children will grow up in. Lets hope we get some interplanetary space travel developed, or at least make contact, otherwise we'll right screwed.

rant--;

Re:The earth changes..

[Jagasian]

Good god? Are you aware of the 500 plus mega ton nukes that we have? Yeah, we have quite a few. Enough that if detonated all in one place, would strip off a large part of the Earth's atmosphere. Not only that, but if all of these nukes were somehow held in the place, and then detonated (while still being held in place against the Earth)... they could tilt the Earth's axis. Oh, then there is that whole radiation thing.

I'm no tree hugger, but good god, as humans, our destructive abilities far outmatch our constructive abilities.

Tree S*itters

[Webmoth]

Next time you head out to the woods to protest a logging operation, be sure to bring a roll of plastic toilet tissue with you in case nature calls.

~Karma to spare, karma to spare~