Here is how subtle yet profound climate change can be

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

Most of us know that Antarctica used to be home to plants and dinosaurs and such. And we know the continents have shifted around a lot.

But the obvious explanation for Antarctic fossils, that Antarctica used to be closer to the equator, is wrong. When Antarctica had some temperate ecologies (presumably coastal ecologies) it was pretty much where it is today.

But the other continents were in different places and their shapes led to gulf-stream type effects, cycling warm water down from the equator.

(The same reason western Scotland is far more temperate than its latitude would suggest.)

As the continents drifted around a heat-pump made Antartica warmer and when they shifted some more that pump shut down and Antarctica became what we expect a polar region to be.

I was reminded of this reading this article. Yes, changing ocean currents can make an incredible difference:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7799942

[FirstLight]

1. K&R

[kestrel91316]

2. I think the oil companies and other mega-corporations WANT Antarctica to melt

completely so they can "extract resources" from it. And yes, I know there is currently some sort of treaty that bars that. I suspect they have a plan to take care of that inconvenient little factoid.

[ensho]

3. and its too late as the earth's oceans have changed and are changing

I recently posted an article saying tropical water is now flowing into the arctic.

that is just one change in a world of changes.

time is up.

the world's govts. really don't know what to do. and because a large amount of world citizens don't understand climate change and would fight their govts. over any big changes they tried.

crisis after crisis will bring all life to a local level of survival.

I'd think twice about having a baby.

[Sal Minella]

4. Weeks ago on DU someone posted a map of the Gulf Stream shifting

northward past Greenland from its eastward path to warm Great Britain -- later was the NASA shot of Great Britain covered entirely in snow.

Now I am waiting for mainstream media to recognize a story when they see one, and waiting, and waiting. . .