Comments on: Microbes Make the Best Climate Engineers http://www.universetoday.com/2008/02/01/microbes-make-the-best-climate-engineers/ Space and astronomy news Mon, 15 Mar 2010 20:48:33 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Kevinhttp://www.universetoday.com/2008/02/01/microbes-make-the-best-climate-engineers/comment-page-1/#comment-10821 Kevin Mon, 04 Feb 2008 23:41:34 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/2008/02/01/microbes-make-the-best-climate-engineers/#comment-10821 Jim K,If you don't understand the need for a magnetic field you need to do some simple reading on the subject. Without a magnetic field to deflect the solar wind you are fighting a losing battle. Any type of atmosphere you create will only exist for a short time until the solar wind rips it away. Jim K,

If you don't understand the need for a magnetic field you need to do some simple reading on the subject. Without a magnetic field to deflect the solar wind you are fighting a losing battle. Any type of atmosphere you create will only exist for a short time until the solar wind rips it away.

]]> By: Kevin M.http://www.universetoday.com/2008/02/01/microbes-make-the-best-climate-engineers/comment-page-1/#comment-10577 Kevin M. Sun, 03 Feb 2008 04:33:18 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/2008/02/01/microbes-make-the-best-climate-engineers/#comment-10577 There's a great story in the Atlantic this month describing how a warming planet would not be such a disaster. Equatorial countries will become deserts, but the vast northern regions which are now uninhabitable will become quite temperate, including Canada, Alaska, Greenland, Skandinavia and Siberia. There is plenty of land left if we heat up the atmosphere. That's why certain countries are not worrying very much about warming, and even seem to be welcoming it. Canada and Russia are already fighting over the vast oil fields which may soon become accessible under the melting northern ice cap. We may all be Canadian, Siberians or Greenlanders soon. The North will have a new boom while the Equator burns up. There's a great story in the Atlantic this month describing how a warming planet would not be such a disaster. Equatorial countries will become deserts, but the vast northern regions which are now uninhabitable will become quite temperate, including Canada, Alaska, Greenland, Skandinavia and Siberia. There is plenty of land left if we heat up the atmosphere. That's why certain countries are not worrying very much about warming, and even seem to be welcoming it. Canada and Russia are already fighting over the vast oil fields which may soon become accessible under the melting northern ice cap. We may all be Canadian, Siberians or Greenlanders soon. The North will have a new boom while the Equator burns up.

]]> By: Zooballhttp://www.universetoday.com/2008/02/01/microbes-make-the-best-climate-engineers/comment-page-1/#comment-10510 Zooball Sat, 02 Feb 2008 18:05:08 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/2008/02/01/microbes-make-the-best-climate-engineers/#comment-10510 The reason Mars is a poor choice is that without a consistent global magnetic field the solar wind will continually strip away any atmosphere we humans develop there. Mars may have to be entirely colonized with contained systems like domes, underground tunnels, or sealed canyons.Back to the subject, I'm not even worried about colonizing Mars when there might not be a 22nd Century for humans on Earth! Worry about other planets after we correct our mistakes on this one. Seriously, I wonder if I'll even see grandkids because it seems NOBODY in my town even cares about our planet. They have no clue as to what methane can do to our, er, ummm, civilization. Not only do landfills need to be tapped, but also the entire tundra when it warms up. The reason Mars is a poor choice is that without a consistent global magnetic field the solar wind will continually strip away any atmosphere we humans develop there. Mars may have to be entirely colonized with contained systems like domes, underground tunnels, or sealed canyons.

Back to the subject, I'm not even worried about colonizing Mars when there might not be a 22nd Century for humans on Earth! Worry about other planets after we correct our mistakes on this one. Seriously, I wonder if I'll even see grandkids because it seems NOBODY in my town even cares about our planet. They have no clue as to what methane can do to our, er, ummm, civilization. Not only do landfills need to be tapped, but also the entire tundra when it warms up.

]]> By: THE MATTER OF EVERYTHING » Goodbye Holocene Hello Anthropocene Erahttp://www.universetoday.com/2008/02/01/microbes-make-the-best-climate-engineers/comment-page-1/#comment-10509 THE MATTER OF EVERYTHING » Goodbye Holocene Hello Anthropocene Era Sat, 02 Feb 2008 18:04:29 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/2008/02/01/microbes-make-the-best-climate-engineers/#comment-10509 [...] Microbes Make the Best Climate Engineers [...]

[...] Microbes Make the Best Climate Engineers [...]

]]> By: Tomhttp://www.universetoday.com/2008/02/01/microbes-make-the-best-climate-engineers/comment-page-1/#comment-10505 Tom Sat, 02 Feb 2008 17:49:20 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/2008/02/01/microbes-make-the-best-climate-engineers/#comment-10505 "...we might be fighting a losing battle to control climate change."My God Man! Are you serious? Do you actually believe we can control climate change. What sort of Sci-Fi world do you live in? The Earth's climate has been changing for eons and will continue to change. The arrogance of the gullible GW doomsayers has reached astronomical proportions. Somewhere P.T.Barnum is having a good laugh. "…we might be fighting a losing battle to control climate change."

My God Man! Are you serious? Do you actually believe we can control climate change. What sort of Sci-Fi world do you live in? The Earth's climate has been changing for eons and will continue to change. The arrogance of the gullible GW doomsayers has reached astronomical proportions. Somewhere P.T.Barnum is having a good laugh.

]]> By: Olgahttp://www.universetoday.com/2008/02/01/microbes-make-the-best-climate-engineers/comment-page-1/#comment-10504 Olga Sat, 02 Feb 2008 17:29:47 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/2008/02/01/microbes-make-the-best-climate-engineers/#comment-10504 Yes. I agree with Rev. All nations could learn a lot from the Swedes. Developed countries need to get creative and use all their incredible amount of scientific knowledge to develop technologies for sustainable living and serve as role models (and share their technologies) with developing nations. What happens when one third of the world's population in China and India want to live the way we live, in a consumer-driven, disposable, oil reliant society where wants exceed needs? Yes. I agree with Rev. All nations could learn a lot from the Swedes. Developed countries need to get creative and use all their incredible amount of scientific knowledge to develop technologies for sustainable living and serve as role models (and share their technologies) with developing nations. What happens when one third of the world's population in China and India want to live the way we live, in a consumer-driven, disposable, oil reliant society where wants exceed needs?

]]> By: Rev.http://www.universetoday.com/2008/02/01/microbes-make-the-best-climate-engineers/comment-page-1/#comment-10470 Rev. Sat, 02 Feb 2008 12:24:26 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/2008/02/01/microbes-make-the-best-climate-engineers/#comment-10470 All nations should adopt the Swedish model when developing landfills... all methane gas is tapped and used as clean energy, by the creation of a utility at each landfill. All nations should adopt the Swedish model when developing landfills… all methane gas is tapped and used as clean energy, by the creation of a utility at each landfill.

]]> By: Jim Khttp://www.universetoday.com/2008/02/01/microbes-make-the-best-climate-engineers/comment-page-1/#comment-10467 Jim K Sat, 02 Feb 2008 12:20:49 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/2008/02/01/microbes-make-the-best-climate-engineers/#comment-10467 I'm not sure what having a magnetic field has to do with the ability/lack there of for climate change.Unless I'm missing something, the bigger variable is simply the thickness of the atmosphere. Which is why, if we ever plan to terraform Mars, we'd probably need to guide a fleet of comets into it first, to thicken the atmosphere, and provide a source of water for the surface. I'm not sure what having a magnetic field has to do with the ability/lack there of for climate change.

Unless I'm missing something, the bigger variable is simply the thickness of the atmosphere. Which is why, if we ever plan to terraform Mars, we'd probably need to guide a fleet of comets into it first, to thicken the atmosphere, and provide a source of water for the surface.

]]> By: Tony Trentonhttp://www.universetoday.com/2008/02/01/microbes-make-the-best-climate-engineers/comment-page-1/#comment-10465 Tony Trenton Sat, 02 Feb 2008 12:02:58 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/2008/02/01/microbes-make-the-best-climate-engineers/#comment-10465 Kevin has an important point. Without a magnetic field to protect the astronauts and anything else organic from the radiation. Colanizing Mars has major long term problems when it comes to changing the climate to be more Earth-like. Kevin has an important point. Without a magnetic field to protect the astronauts and anything else organic from the radiation. Colanizing Mars has major long term problems when it comes to changing the climate to be more Earth-like.

]]> By: Tony Trentonhttp://www.universetoday.com/2008/02/01/microbes-make-the-best-climate-engineers/comment-page-1/#comment-10464 Tony Trenton Sat, 02 Feb 2008 11:49:28 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/2008/02/01/microbes-make-the-best-climate-engineers/#comment-10464 If I remember correctly the Australians delivered iron oxide over an area of the ocean to encourage some green algae to proliferate and absorb CO2. Apparently it was successful. If I remember correctly the Australians delivered iron oxide over an area of the ocean to encourage some green algae to proliferate and absorb CO2. Apparently it was successful.

]]> By: Stevehttp://www.universetoday.com/2008/02/01/microbes-make-the-best-climate-engineers/comment-page-1/#comment-10381 Steve Fri, 01 Feb 2008 22:49:11 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/2008/02/01/microbes-make-the-best-climate-engineers/#comment-10381 Try it on Europa, where there is a magnetic field. Try it on Europa, where there is a magnetic field.

]]> By: Kevinhttp://www.universetoday.com/2008/02/01/microbes-make-the-best-climate-engineers/comment-page-1/#comment-10380 Kevin Fri, 01 Feb 2008 22:46:14 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/2008/02/01/microbes-make-the-best-climate-engineers/#comment-10380 Venus is too far gone and Mars no longer has a magnetic field. So for the most part, climate change is a mute point for these two planets. Venus is too far gone and Mars no longer has a magnetic field. So for the most part, climate change is a mute point for these two planets.

]]> By: www.actionforspace.comhttp://www.universetoday.com/2008/02/01/microbes-make-the-best-climate-engineers/comment-page-1/#comment-10373 www.actionforspace.com Fri, 01 Feb 2008 20:57:27 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/2008/02/01/microbes-make-the-best-climate-engineers/#comment-10373 I think that a particularly interesting thought is to use microbes on other planets like mars or Venus to change the climate. I think that a particularly interesting thought is to use microbes on other planets like mars or Venus to change the climate.

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