Could Global Warming Make Life on Earth Better? 923
mikee805 writes "A lengthy article in Spiegel explores the possibility that global warming might make life on Earth better, not just for humans, but all species. The article argues that 'worst-case scenarios' are often the result of inaccurate simulations made in the 1980s. While climate change is a reality, as far as the article is concerned, some planning and forethought may mean that more benefits than drawbacks will result from higher temperatures. From the article:'The medical benefits of higher average temperatures have also been ignored. According to Richard Tol, an environmental economist, "warming temperatures will mean that in 2050 there will be about 40,000 fewer deaths in Germany attributable to cold-related illnesses like the flu." Another widespread fear about global warming -- that it will cause super-storms that could devastate towns and villages with unprecedented fury -- also appears to be unfounded. Current long-term simulations, at any rate, do not suggest that such a trend will in fact materialize.'"
Could Global Warming Make Life Better? (Score:4, Funny)
Global warming? Promise? (Score:2, Funny)
Needs to be said (Score:3, Funny)
Re:But most Slashdot readers would enjoy... (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Oy vey gevault. (Score:3, Funny)
I wonder if it would help if Snopes listed Global Warming as a hoax? I don't mean Climate Change -- that's the scientific observation that the climate is always changing. I mean Global Warming -- the idea that mankind is responsible for changing the weather -- as if that were possible!
Re:But most Slashdot readers would enjoy... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Head in the sand (Score:5, Funny)
Hmmm...maybe it will be better.
Re:Not all good (Score:5, Funny)
Here, let me translate that into English for you:
"I live on the ocean floor. We call it a polder, but it's pretty much seabed. We've built earthen walls around this section and continuously pump out the water, and we have a lot of experience doing this and are quite good at it now, with triple-redundant pumping stations and seven nines of uptime, but nonetheless flooding is not so much a _potential_ disaster as it is our inevitable, inescapable, pre-ordained fate, i.e., it's really a question of when (not whether) we'll be flooded."
HTH.HAND.
Re:Not all good (Score:2, Funny)
Bedevere Science (B.S.) (Score:3, Funny)
This just in... (Score:5, Funny)
Is that a joke? Sounds like a joke. I can't tell. (Score:5, Funny)
On the other hand it might a real person who's just new to the subject and not very knowledgable yet.
If it's a joke then Internet Honor demands that I stay away and not get hooked. But if it's an honest post, Internet Honor demands that I respond with well-reasoned rational counters to everything that's wrong.
Maybe I should just go with a goatse link.
Re:Oy vey gevault. (Score:2, Funny)
But, But, But ... (Score:3, Funny)
Huh? There was no bad hurricane season of 2006?
Nevermind.
Re:Head in the sand (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Head in the sand (Score:3, Funny)
SLASHDOT, NOOOOOOO! (Score:4, Funny)
Re:el nino job fair (Score:1, Funny)
Email your resume to Guy@MightyTaco.com Or Send it to: Mighty Taco, Attn: Guy 9362 Transit Road East Amherst, NY 14051
Reminds me of a conversation (Score:5, Funny)
I had with a friend who is a *very* fundamentalist Christian who believes in the Rapture. A time when all the "good" Christians (opposed to what?) get taken up to heaven for a thousand years. It went something like this:
Him: And then there will be plagues.
Me: What kind of plagues?
Him: The earth will get hot.
Me: Let me get this straight...all you right wing Christians will be gone and the rest of us can live our lives in peace without your religious dogma and misguided legislative agenda and it will be endless summer here? What's the bad part again?
Just what we need: More Humans (Score:2, Funny)
Seriously, faster population growth is not a good thing.
Re:Could Global Warming Make Life Better? (Score:2, Funny)
Case in point:
Global Warming will increase overall tempuratures, everywhere.
Thus the tempurature in hell will rise.
This will reduce the chance of hell freezing over.
If hell never freezes over, how will the Vikings ever win a Superbowl???
That would not be a better life.
In related news... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:grass clippings=practical (Score:3, Funny)
Oh..of course Spiegel... (Score:2, Funny)