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Global Climate Change

Global Climate Change

Throughout its ~4.5 billion year history, the Earth has experienced periods of warming and cooling. However, the current drastic increase in global temperatures is well outside of the Earth’s cyclic norms, and evidence for human-caused global climate change is compelling. Paleoclimatology, the study of ancient climate conditions, provides ample evidence for human-caused global climate change by comparing recent conditions with those in the past.

What is Climate?

What is Climate?

Climate refers to the prevailing weather conditions in a specific area over an extended period. As the saying goes, “Climate is what you expect. Weather is what you get.” Climate is influenced by geographic factors, such as latitude, terrain, and proximity to bodies of water.

Microbes and Climate Change

Microbes and Climate Change

Microorganisms are pivotal agents in Earth's biogeochemical cycles, significantly influencing climate dynamics through their metabolic activities. These microbes modulate the levels of key greenhouse gases by both contributing to and helping mitigate climate change.Microbial Contributions to Greenhouse Gas EmissionsRising global temperatures accelerate microbial metabolism, which, in turn, speeds up the decomposition of organic matter. This process releases carbon dioxide (CO₂) through...

Threats to Biodiversity

Threats to Biodiversity

There have been five major extinction events throughout geological history, resulting in the elimination of biodiversity, followed by a rebound of species that adapted to the new conditions. In the current geological epoch, the Holocene, there is a sixth extinction event in progress. This mass extinction has been attributed to human activities and is thus provisionally called the Anthropocene. In 2019 the human population reached 7.7 billion people and is projected to comprise 10 billion by...

Frost Action on Concrete

Frost Action on Concrete

Concrete structures in cold climates, such as those along roadsides, can retain moisture. This moisture makes them susceptible to frost-related damage when temperatures fall below freezing. Adding moisture worsens the damage during temperature fluctuations, leading to repeated freezing and thawing. De-icing salts, spread over these structures to melt ice, add to the freeze-thaw cycle, and draw even more moisture into the concrete.
This freeze-thaw cycle primarily causes surface scaling, where...

What is Weather?

What is Weather?

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Assessing Intertidal Populations of the Invasive European Green Crab

Assessing Intertidal Populations of the Invasive European Green Crab

Published on: September 16, 2020

Climate change: how grave the threat?

Hugh Montgomery¹

¹UCL Institute for Human Health and Performance, London. h.montgomery@ucl.ac.uk

Clinical Medicine (London, England)

|September 5, 2009

Summary

Climate change is a scientifically established reality, driven by human actions. Urgent global response is critical within our lifetimes to avert catastrophic threats to civilization and species survival.

Area of Science:

Environmental Science
Climate Science
Ecology

Background:

The scientific consensus confirms that climate change is occurring.
Human activities are unequivocally identified as the primary driver of current climate change.
The escalating threat of climate change poses significant risks to global civilization and species survival.

Purpose of the Study:

To underscore the established scientific consensus on anthropogenic climate change.
To emphasize the urgent and immediate nature of the climate crisis.
To motivate collective and individual action in response to climate change.

Main Methods:

This study synthesizes established scientific findings and consensus reports.
It relies on a comprehensive review of climate science literature.

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Assessing Intertidal Populations of the Invasive European Green Crab

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Using Generative Art to Convey Past and Future Climate Transitions

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The analysis integrates data on environmental impacts and species vulnerability.

Main Results:

Climate change is an undeniable phenomenon with human activity as its cause.
The threats posed by climate change are immediate, impacting current generations and the near future.
Without prompt intervention, severe consequences for civilization and species are projected.

Conclusions:

The scientific evidence for human-driven climate change is irrefutable.
The window for effective action is rapidly closing, demanding immediate attention.
Collective and individual responses are essential to mitigate the existential threats of climate change.