Western Antarctic Ice Shelf Collapses, Global Warming Blamed

As if any additional proof were needed that global warming is not a vast left-wing conspiracy, here is an additional data point for the few remaining skeptics. A massive chunk of Antarctic ice—described as "about seven times the size of Manhattan"—suddenly collapses and puts "an even greater portion of glacial ice at risk."

Rare video footage and satellite imagery document the dramatic event. The disintegration of the 160-square-mile chunk in western Antarctica began on February 28. Formerly, this was the western edge of the Wilkins Ice Shelf and has been there for hundreds, possibly up to 1,500 years. Scientists say that over the past 50 years, the western Antarctic Peninsula "has experienced the biggest temperature increase on Earth, rising by 0.5 degree Celsius (0.9 degree Fahrenheit) per decade."

The remainder of the Wilkins ice shelf—which is about the size of Connecticut—"is holding on by a narrow beam of thin ice. Scientists worry that it too may collapse. Larger, more dramatic ice collapses occurred in 2002 and 1995."
.
Antarctic Ice Shelf Disintegration Underscores a Warming World [Climate Progress]

More GLOBAL WARMING

Some Background ....
News: Polar Bears, John Edwards [R20]
News: Polar Bears, Florida Primary [R20]
"International Polar Year" Begins [R20]
Only 13 Percent of GOP Believe Warming [R20]
Cheney on Global Warming [R20]
Environment: Pharrell Concert, Exxon [R20]
Warming "Very Likely" Caused By Humans [R20]
White House Pressures Scientists [R20]
GOP Names Climate Skeptic to Committee [R20]
NASA Says Global Warming "Not a Problem" [R20]

Comments

[TheRevKev]

MCCAIN, POLAR ICE CAPS AND 50 CENT ON THE SAME DAY!

THAT IS WHY I LOVE THIS BLOG, ROD!

JUST SOOOOO WELL-ROUNDED!!! I AM PROUD TO KNOW YOU!

[ATL Kid]

Same here, reverend. Hey, do you have your own blog? Would love to read more of your writing?

[DFS]

Interesting article in the LA Times today, one scientist is advocating that we attempt to "just live with" the warming.

for example, improving irrigation, developing more drought resistent crops. He thinks that there is too much uncertainty in the models that predict that we can slow the warming by controlling emissions.

Seems pretty shortsighted to me.

[TheRevKev]

ATL KID...

THANKS FOR THE LOVE. I SAVE MUCH OF MY WRITINGS FOR BOOKS (UNCLUTTER & JADED out now; ACT LIKE YOU KNOW & MOMMA, PLEASE coming Fall 2008/Winter 2009).

I LEAVE THE BRILLIANCE OF DAILY MUSINGS TO MR. ROD 2.0!