Siberian Permafrost Melting

TeknoHog writes "New Scientist Reports on a remarkable runaway process of global warming that has been going on in Siberia for the past few years. 'Western Siberia has warmed faster than almost anywhere else on the planet, with an increase in average temperatures of some 3C in the last 40 years.' As a result, a million square kilometers (the area of France and Germany) of frozen peat bog have been found to be melting, according to Russian and international scientists. This releases methane, a potent greenhouse gas, which contributes to further global warming."

Word From the Whitehouse

[ackthpt]

Not real science! Not like important sciencetists in my administration tell me!

La-la-la-la-la! MMMMM!!! I can't hear your!!! La-la-la-la-la!!

The war is going well, we plan to fix Social Security if the stubborn opponents would just see reason! I have political capital to spend and I'm going to spend it!

La-la-la-la-la! MMMMM!!! Hoo-Hah! Yellow rose of Texas .. HMMM MMM MMM MMM MMM MMMMMMM!!! La-la-la! (Dick see if we can round up some more troops and invade Siberberia, lookin' for weapons, setting up democracy sorta thing) La-la-la-la!!!

/.ed

[dal20402]

I think their server has been warmed by more than 3C.

Yeah it sucks, but....

[mikejz84]

I'm will to bet you won't hear that many people in Siberia complaining.

Look on the bright side

[Anonymous Coward]

Of course all of the liberals are going to turn around and claim that this validates their so-called "theory" of "global warming", and that therefore we can reverse this problem by imposing socialist restrictions on the right of industrial corporations to do business as they please. But the truth is, solid science suggests that its simply a result of natural changes in the ecosystem, and the solution is to allow markets to develop solutions that allow everyone to live better in the warmer world of the future.

And the fact of the matter is, we need more habitable land to accomodate the world's rising population, and getting rid of permafrost is a sure-fire way to increase the supply. If the methane is really a problem, the solution is to allow free enterprise to trap the gas and use it as an energy source. But it may be a better idea to let it rise, which will allow more people to enjoy warmer temperatures and probably boost the tourism industry in many parts of the world that are now too cold to be year-round vacation destinations. One thing is for sure: If anyone knows that Communism is a failure, it is the Russians, so there is no doubt that we are going to see a proactive solution instead of more socialist regulation.

Let me get this straight...

[acidradio]

People who live in an area considered the "frozen hell" of this world are complaining about it finally warming up?

Re:Problematic, but some benefits

[lawpoop]

Well, I guess it's closer to the reality of global warming.

"Yes, I have a grant to find bogmen in Siberia, but I can't make it because of the catastrophic flooding..."

Re:Third Post

[PsychicX]

Yes, as a representative of Standard Oil Co....ehm...I mean, Exxon, Mobil, and other oil companies, I would like to assure all of the slashdot readers that there is no such things as global warming. These are lies spread by liberal commie scientists with an agenda. We, on the other hand, are completely impartial and unbiased.

Contrast the responses

[Anonymous Coward]

American Left scientist: This is bald proof that Global Warming is occuring and causing climatic changes in our lifetime. The rise in greenhouse gasses since the advent of the Industrial Revolution matches the rise in global temperatures, giving further proof that humans are a key component in the climatic puzzle. By drastically reducing our fossil fuel emissions and other man-made greenhouse gasses, it should be possible to manage the expected warming trend. Acting now is absolutely necessary to keeping pristine environments like the Siberian taiga in their pristine state.

American Right scientist: This is interesting data. However a few degrees change over a short span of only 40 years is not indicative of any long-term trend towards either a cooling cycle or a heating cycle. Nevertheless, as the historical temperature has fluctuated greatly in the past and it seems that we are actually coming out of a trough, it seems reasonable to assume that a warming trend would be on the horizon. At the least, it should indicate that we need more study of the phenomenon.

European scientists: Ziss is clearly ze work of ze fat, stinking Americans and zer fat, stinking wives and cars.

Siberian citizens: Ya, I am sinkink dat I like za balmy weather.

Re:Yeah it sucks, but....

[ackthpt]

I'm will to bet you won't hear that many people in Siberia complaining.

You will if the ground turns to mud and their roads, houses, etc. begin to sink in it. Probably be about Avagadro's # of mosquitoes, too.

Re:yeah but it'll stink won't it?

[Profane MuthaFucka]

Methane doesn't have a smell, and it's not the primary component of farts. Profane Muthafucka has been working hard and long in his laboratory to answer the age-old question: what's in farts, why do they smell so bad, and why do I enjoy my own farts, but nobody else's?

The answer is that it's mostly hydrogen, which doesn't smell. The odor comes from organic compounds such as indole, skatole, and mercaptans, and the inorganic gas hydrogen sulfide. All of these compounds taken into the nose together, oddly enough, smell like poop.

The phenomenon of enjoyment of your own farts, but nobody else's farts is still something of a mystery to me. I am currently spending long hours in a closed box, alternately by myself and with a man eating Taco Bell burritos to find the answer. I am confident that this research might have some remote application to the war on terror, either for detecting bin Ladin, or for flushing him out. Literally.

Re:Third Post

[bensafrickingenius]

We NeoCons don't deny that the climate is changing; we deny that it's the fault of mankind. We maintain that climate change is a natural part of the planet's life cycle. The planet experienced dramatic global warming following the last ice age -- my car's not that old, is yours?

coal in Antarctica

[weighn]

yes, and there is coal [wonderquest.com] under the ice in Antarctica.

Those lefties want to leave it there, can you believe that? It is the will of God that we dig it up and burn it -- NOW!

Re:Yeah it sucks, but....

[maxpublic]

On the other hand when I say I have some nice seafront property in northern Canada to sell you, it reall means I have some nice seafront property for sale! And think - we'll finally have that Northern Passage so many Age of Exploration captains lost their shorts looking for....

Max

Re:Yeah, but...

[Anonymous Coward]

Guys, guys - I think you're forgetting the real issue is that 13% of Americans believe Joan of Ark was the wife of Noah...

Re:Yeah, but...

[Zonnald]

And I suppose you know what her name was?
hint, don't look in the bible, it's not there.

Re:TF Text from TFA

[Anonymous Coward]

estimates that the west Siberian bog alone contains some 70 billion tonnes of methane

Or the equivalent of 17 Tex-Mex restaurants!

Re:Word From the Whitehouse

[mathmathrevolution]

People like u that hate America think America is the problem. Well America isn't the problem. America is the solution. The terrorists are the problem. If u don't like that then go blow yourself up in Iraq before and spare your commie-terrorist self the horror of watching freedom spread.