Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Faster Global Warming From Permafrost Melt

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the not-just-siberia dept.

jc42 writes, "A recent study published in Nature documents the accelerating release of methane from melting permafrost. Methane is a greenhouse gas 23 times more potent than carbon dioxide, so this may signal more rapid warming in the near future. If you don't subscribe to Nature, the Guardian has a good summary of the piece." It's not just Siberian permafrost. One of the major concerns is bogs — they account for a relatively small percent of total surface space, but have a large amount of carbon locked up. No one is sure if the greenhouse effect will cause them to lock up more, or to release more carbon.

4 of 119 comments (clear)

  1. Chicken-little titles... by phayes · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The title to the story is "Faster Global Warming from Permafrost Melt" yet TFA & even the extract say
    "No one is sure if the greenhouse effect will cause them to lock up more, or to release more carbon"...

    Sensationalist titles like this are why I still have my doubts about global warning. Every time any climate data is released, the global warning crowd comes out with another sensationalist global warning blurb.

    --
    Democracy is a sheep and two wolves deciding what to have for lunch. Freedom is a well armed sheep contesting the issue
    1. Re:Chicken-little titles... by tverbeek · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Ignore the headlines. Read the articles and look at the data. Once you do, you'll start writing alarmed headlines as well.

      --
      http://alternatives.rzero.com/
    2. Re:Chicken-little titles... by Scrameustache · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Sensationalist titles like this are why I still have my doubts about global warning.

      Ok, ignore the JOURNALIST'S READER-BAIT title, and think for a moment about the fact at hand:

      The permafrost is melting.
      The layer of soil named after the fact that it is permanently frozen is melting.

      Think about it.

      --

      You can't take the sky from me...

  2. Re:In terms of cause and effect by rk · · Score: 4, Funny

    Yes, plus the Earth doesn't really like being anthropomorphized all that much, so if you won't stop for environmental science, stop for the sake of Earth's feelings.