| Copyright (c) 2008 Mervyn Rees | | | | So far, large mammals have become extinct at a |
| The average temperature of the earth has increased | | | | much faster rate than one would have predicted if |
| by about 0.6 degrees centigrade over the last 100 | | | | humans hadn't made their mark on the planet by |
| years. Because of the affect of global warming, | | | | burning fossil fuels. |
| scientists estimate that the temperature will continue to | | | | His theory is that life on Earth needs to be culled from |
| increase by about 0.3 degrees centigrade per decade | | | | time to time, with the last cull being the extinction of the |
| - that's 3 degrees over a 100 year period. | | | | dinosaurs 65 million years ago, and by messing with |
| Some areas are expected to warm up much faster | | | | the environment, we've sped up the move towards |
| than others, and some areas are actually expected to | | | | the next big cull. |
| cool down, but the affect of this, they say, will be | | | | The human race, he says, will die out "soon". Don't |
| floods becoming more extreme and occurring more | | | | panic just yet though, in geological terms, "soon" can |
| frequently. | | | | mean millions of years. |
| The reason why we're told we can expect more | | | | Is this Fact or Fiction? Who will be around to give us |
| frequent and more devastating floods is because:a) | | | | the answer, and need we really worry? |
| As the sea heats up the water will expand leading to | | | | Life Adapts |
| a rise in the sea level.b) The ice caps will melt leading | | | | Greenhouse gas emissions are expected to increase |
| to more water in the sea. | | | | the temperature in the world by between 2.5 degrees |
| Will this really happen? Prediction can never tell us | | | | Fahrenheit to 10 degrees Fahrenheit. That sounds like a |
| anything with 100% certainty, but in this case there's a | | | | lot... but it happens over the next 100 years! |
| very strong possibility that floods will become both | | | | Over the past century humans have adapted to a |
| more frequent and more devastating as recent events | | | | variety of changes in our environment, and if you were |
| have shown. | | | | to take some turn of the century homesteaders and |
| The signs are that there is change, radical in places, | | | | plunk them down in a car in the middle of New York, |
| new weather patterns affecting us all too some | | | | they wouldn't last more than two minutes! But gradual |
| degree wherever we are. | | | | changes in our environment are much easier to adapt |
| "Better go and find our Water Wings " (Joke)! | | | | to. We simply expect things to happen quicker than |
| Human Extinction | | | | our forefathers did. While a 2.5 to 10 degree rise in the |
| Could humans be moving towards the end of their | | | | next year might be hard to take, spread over time we |
| time on earth? | | | | will barely notice the change. Ever see the movie |
| As per Professor Michael Boulter, a UK Palaeontologist | | | | Jurassic Park? It may have been a fictional movie, but |
| from the University of East London, large | | | | it wasn't fair in one concept: Life will find a way to |
| mammals—including humansare showing signs | | | | survive in spite of the environment. |
| of imminent extinction. | | | | |