Climate Change Will Boost Plane Turbulence, Suggests Study 184
sciencehabit writes "Get used to a bumpy ride. The strength and frequency of atmospheric turbulence affecting transatlantic flights will increase by midcentury, a new study suggests. During winter months, 16 of the 21 often-used ways in which scientists measure turbulence suggest that the average intensity of the plane-rattling phenomenon will be between 10% and 40% stronger when CO2 concentrations are double their preindustrial value. Accordingly, the frequency of moderate-or-greater turbulence—intensities at which passengers will experience accelerations of 0.5 g or more, which are strong enough to toss items about the cabin—will rise by between 40% and 170%. As a result of pilots needing to dodge strong turbulence, flight paths will become longer, and fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions will increase—possibly leading to even more turbulence."
Oh yea... (Score:0, Informative)
Of course. We need to add it to the list of problems this minor trace gas causes [whatreallyhappened.com]. It's really extraordinary stuff!
Re:HSR (Score:4, Informative)
One of the issues with the high speed rail I've seen them try to implement is too many stops, so the train is only traveling at its top speed for a relatively short time before it slows down for the next stop.
Then there's also the fact that a lot of "high speed" trains in the US are in the 40-60mph range... not very fast compared to what other countries have.
Re:how many predictions have come true? (Score:2, Informative)
Re:how many predictions have come true? (Score:3, Informative)
[citation needed]
There was some concern that we might be entering a natural cooling cycle or that if aerosol emissions continued to increase we could trigger an ice age (they decreased), however, even as far back as 1969 global warming was the more widely published and accepted theory. You might be confusing "scientifically illiterate reporters" with "scientists".
Citation provided [skepticalscience.com]
Re:HSR (Score:3, Informative)
Unless I'm mistaken, you've got the situation backwards: Amtrak doesn't own any lines; it's the freight companies that "allow" Amtrak to run on their lines.
FUD, much? (Score:2, Informative)
Climate change will ruin the crops.
Climate change will ruin crabs.
Climate change will kill all the coral.
Climate change will benefit or kill insects (whether they're considered pests or beneficial in that particular article, respectively).
Climate change will cause areas to get wetter (if that would be bad).
Climate change will cause other areas to desertify (if that would be bad).
Climate change will make some places warmer (if that would be bad) or colder (if that would be bad).
Climate change will cause (whatever animal or vegetable species is held fondly) to die off.
Climate change will cause (whatever animal or vegetable species is nasty, disliked, or hated) to flourish.
Climate change will cause your airline rides to be bumpier.
Climate change will cause weather patterns to "change".
Climate change will cause widespread war.
Climate change will cause famine.
Climate change will increase the rate of disease.
Specifically, Climate change will cause more diarrhoea.
Climate change will cause more snowfall (where that's bad), or reduce it (where that's bad).
Climate change will cause more, bigger hurricanes and extreme weather events.
Climate change will increase the number of volcanoes and earthquakes. (My personal favorite.)
Climate change will increase the incidence of stress-related behaviors* and mental illness.
*presumably, more mass killings since that's the fear-du-jour?
Climate change will increase the level of particulates in the air, and generally decrease air quality everywhere.
Climate change will raise the cost of (everything), including internet services and cable television.
Did I miss any?
I haven't yet heard how climate change will increase meteorite impacts, but I'm almost certain there's someone, somewhere working on a rationalization to "explain" that too.
This list was assembled from the news reports I've paid attention to in JUST THE LAST 4 months.
Re:HSR (Score:4, Informative)
Amtrak owns 730 miles of track, including nearly all of their routes in the Northeast . But most of their routes outside that do run on freight rail tracks.
Re:False Memory Syndrome? (Score:5, Informative)
You were studying ecology and didn't know those predictions were nonsense made by a crackpot? The "Ice Age scare" was about as popular in the scientific community as the 2012 Mayan apocalypse theories.