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Robots Fly Over Antarctica
Roland Piquepaille writes "Researchers from the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) have successfully run a series of flights by autonomous unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) over Antarctica. These robotic planes have a 2-meter wingspan and weigh 6 kilograms. They are powered by Lithium Ion Polymer (LIPo) battery packs — similar to the ones in your cellphones or laptops. So far, these autonomous UAVs have completed about 20 flights lasting 40 minutes each. These robots can fly over 45 kilometers while taking about 100 measurements per second about the exchange of heat between the lower atmosphere and sea ice. According to one of the scientists, 'the future of atmospheric research will be robotic.'"
Well, methane from cows (it actually comes from both ends) is still our fault, since we're the ones raising the cows. It's probably due to a combination of factors, though, not any one thing. But even if it's due to entirely natural processes (say increased solar output), that doesn't mean we shouldn't try to do something about it -- having most of our cities underwater won't be much fun whether we caused it or not, and if we can reduce the quantity of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere that's likely to help. And most of the things we can do to reduce the possible human causes of global warming will have other long term benefits, like cheaper energy and improved air quality.
But the main thing is that if we don't do something quickly, it may be too late. It's like Pascal's Wager -- there are really very few penalties for doing something and being wrong, but there are very harsh penalties for doing nothing and being wrong.