Sunwoo Posted February 23, 2014 Share Posted February 23, 2014 I've been a teacher's assistant for a class on global climate change for non-science majors for two years, so I'll spare you all the lecture. All I'll say is this: 98-99% of the scientific community believes it exists. Climate =/= weather. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eclipse Posted February 23, 2014 Share Posted February 23, 2014 Year: Nope, not answering that. Climate change: Something's happening, that's for sure. What to do about it? Hell if I know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
euklyd Posted February 23, 2014 Share Posted February 23, 2014 My thoughts are mostly that I'm appalled at the amount of misinformation being spread about what is quite possibly the greatest threat to humanity's continued prosperity, if not survival. But, as Boron said, not really interested in lecturing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Makaze Posted February 23, 2014 Share Posted February 23, 2014 Did we start the fire? Doesn't rightly matter now. Humans at large don't have the sense to stop wars for any reason, let alone practice restraint in regards to the non-human environment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrhesia Posted February 23, 2014 Share Posted February 23, 2014 Why take the risk of doing nothing? We can almost certainly make a difference. A couple people riding bikes and driving shit Priuses isn't the answer, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wist Posted February 23, 2014 Share Posted February 23, 2014 According to a wealth of data, and the interpretations of that data by the vast majority of climatologists without clear links to energy corporations, climate change (as in significant accumulations of change beyond what would otherwise be expected of a historically stable climate) is clearly taking place, it is (again, according to the science, which I know is a weak and lazy way of putting it but I don't feel the need to be more specific in this space) very likely being aggravated by the results of human activities, and the climate will end up invariably different to what has been the norm for the past few centuries as a result. Perhaps I'm misinformed (I very well may be), but I've seen nothing to suggest climate change puts humanity as a species at risk. But it's sure as hell going to be disruptive in a myriad of ways (it observably already is), and whether or not or how long it takes society as a whole to adapt in such a way as to allow for the re-establishment of a new equilibrium is a topic I personally think interesting to speculate about. I'm not well versed enough in climatology to suggest anything as a solution other than adaptation, but I'm sure there are steps that could be taken in efforts to alleviate the extent of change. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sifer Posted February 23, 2014 Share Posted February 23, 2014 don't like it, and either way, having less CO2 in the air helps everyone's lungs out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freohr Datia Posted February 23, 2014 Share Posted February 23, 2014 (edited) I think that it's certainly happening... I'm not fully certain yet if our activities are causing it or only helping it... Because I feel like I've just heard claims that we're the very cause, which I kind of find difficult to believe? Thing is I keep finding arguments to pull me either way, that our influence is very significant, that it isn't significant enough and that it's just due to natural causes, always back and forth. So I really have no clue, I feel like it's at least helping it along. What I do have a pretty good idea about though is that it's happening no matter what and the most we can do is to try to make sure it doesn't get much worse than it usually does. I think baby steps would help, but with some people lazy/stubborn about dealing with it as my dad, I have a feeling not very many of us are going to be contributing... Hopefully whoever is willing to contribute will have made some kind of difference, if the climate change is going to get harmful. Edited February 23, 2014 by Freohr Datia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naughx Posted February 23, 2014 Share Posted February 23, 2014 (edited) I think the world population increasing is going to cause more problems than only climate changes. 2014 population - Around 7 Billions. 2050 population - Around 10 Billions. Edited February 23, 2014 by Naughx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobody Posted February 23, 2014 Share Posted February 23, 2014 (edited) I think the world population increasing is going to cause more problems than only climate changes. 2014 population - Around 7 Billions. 2050 population - Around 10 Billions. Not really. The population of the world is estimated to stabilize around 10 Bi. inhabitants in the end of the century and after that it will start to decrease. Half the people in the world live in countries where people don't have enough children for the population to remain stable, which means that their population will start to decrease soon, unless they increase immigration. Also if you go from the map on here:http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_fertility_rate Will you see that the only countries where people have a lot of children are in poorer areas, meaning they consume way less than the average person in a developed/developing country, not using many of the earth's resourses. Overpopulation of the earth has been a myth for a long time now. About the climate change, what can i say? It exists and there's nothing i can do about it. Edited February 23, 2014 by Nobody Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aizenberg Posted February 23, 2014 Share Posted February 23, 2014 (edited) its warm outside. in February of all months can i make a qotd suggestion? what question do you get asked about yourself the most? Edited February 23, 2014 by Aizenberg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Original Alear Posted February 23, 2014 Share Posted February 23, 2014 It's very worrying and I have no idea what to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NinjaMonkey Posted February 23, 2014 Share Posted February 23, 2014 (edited) It exists, and something needs to be done about it (sooner rather than later). Edited February 23, 2014 by NinjaMonkey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loki Laufeyson Posted February 23, 2014 Share Posted February 23, 2014 According to a wealth of data, and the interpretations of that data by the vast majority of climatologists without clear links to energy corporations, climate change (as in significant accumulations of change beyond what would otherwise be expected of a historically stable climate) is clearly taking place, it is (again, according to the science, which I know is a weak and lazy way of putting it but I don't feel the need to be more specific in this space) very likely being aggravated by the results of human activities, and the climate will end up invariably different to what has been the norm for the past few centuries as a result. Perhaps I'm misinformed (I very well may be), but I've seen nothing to suggest climate change puts humanity as a species at risk. But it's sure as hell going to be disruptive in a myriad of ways (it observably already is), and whether or not or how long it takes society as a whole to adapt in such a way as to allow for the re-establishment of a new equilibrium is a topic I personally think interesting to speculate about. I'm not well versed enough in climatology to suggest anything as a solution other than adaptation, but I'm sure there are steps that could be taken in efforts to alleviate the extent of change. Yeah. This. I agree with Freohr that we arent the direct cause, only speeding up the process. The only thing i can think of is to take steps to slow it down. But once the rock starts falling..../shrug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Interest Posted February 24, 2014 Author Share Posted February 24, 2014 New question! Given the previous one, I might as well ask this.How do you think humanity will end? It is strictly better to not provide general answers like "humanity will end up destroying itself." You can also answer that humanity doesn't end and provide arguments as to why. Firstly, obligatory video. But really, I'd probably have to say unless we somehow manage to find a way to send life elsewhere, we'll probably die soon after the sun "dies." Chances are, however, that this is going to be a lot closer. We'll probably nuke each other to death or something, as sad as it sounds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Envoy of the Beginning Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 We'll probably nuke each other to death or something, as sad as it sounds.This is my answer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loki Laufeyson Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 Some form of Ragnarok. For realzies this time. People nuking each other, the planet goes "nope" and upchucks and we all die. I dunno. Shit happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wist Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 Technological singularity. Probably not, but maybe.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esau of Isaac Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 It's hard to say what will most likely end humanity. I suppose it all depends on just how far humanity makes it technologically and sociologically. We've made some pretty unprecedented scientific leaps recently; if we ever conquer the ability to travel among the stars it would take a truly awe-inspiring galactic event to wipe us out. I like to be positive and think that we're one day going to get far away from this big old rock, and I can't rightly say I think we'll do ourselves in through war before then. I think, then, that humanity will end far from now as an idea, more than anything. When we have progressed so far technologically and perhaps physically that the notion of what it is to be human becomes too blurred to tell. I don't think we'll die by some chance encounter. I think we'll die when it just doesn't mean anything to be human anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
euklyd Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 I like Esau's answer. I see no reason for us to nuke each other to death unless there's some radical shift in the global situation (not merely geopolitical shifts). Resource wars/conflicts brought on by increased scarcity (most likely due to climate change and/or overpopulation) would be the most obvious impetuous, but even then I don't think nuclear armageddon is particularly likely - especially nuclear armageddon that causes the extinction of all humans. It would probably take a lot less for civilization to collapse, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soledai Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 I realistically believe humanity will last for at another 2000 or 3000 years, barring the foolishness of wars and such. But in my mind I feel humanity will be the end of humanity. I like to be positive and think that we're one day going to get far away from this big old rock, and I can't rightly say I think we'll do ourselves in through war before then. I think, then, that humanity will end far from now as an idea, more than anything. When we have progressed so far technologically and perhaps physically that the notion of what it is to be human becomes too blurred to tell. I don't think we'll die by some chance encounter. I think we'll die when it just doesn't mean anything to be human anymore. I feel like we humans will find another planet or at least create some artificial means to survive in space, so I agree with that much, but the bolded part scares me a little, probably due to me not imagining things that far ahead... Can we really lose the meaning of our humanity though? We'd have to get pretty(even more-so than now) dependent on technology to lose that particular meaning...(I don't know why, but that thought really scares me.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
euklyd Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 I feel like we humans will find another planet or at least create some artificial means to survive in space, so I agree with that much, but the bolded part scares me a little, probably due to me not imagining things that far ahead... Can we really lose the meaning of our humanity though? We'd have to get pretty(even more-so than now) dependent on technology to lose that particular meaning...(I don't know why, but that thought really scares me.) I would disagree; it's not just technology that would cause that, let alone dependence. If I understand Esau properly, it's not even "death" of humanity; it's simply becoming something "beyond" human (I'm not entirely satisfied with how I'm phrasing this, but meh). Of course I could easily be wrong about Esau's intended meaning, since this is merely my spin on things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soledai Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 I would disagree; it's not just technology that would cause that, let alone dependence. If I understand Esau properly, it's not even "death" of humanity; it's simply becoming something "beyond" human (I'm not entirely satisfied with how I'm phrasing this, but meh). Of course I could easily be wrong about Esau's intended meaning, since this is merely my spin on things. Yeah, that's what I mean, not like death in it's purest sense, but more like the end of one thing and then the placement or the birth of the next thing, I don't feel like the word 'evolve' really suits, but that's a word for what I meant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrhesia Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 (edited) When a concentrated effort from weeaboos elect a Vocaloid as a major power's head of state. I hope it's Russia. (sorry Russia) Edited February 24, 2014 by Parrhesia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
euklyd Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 When a concentrated effort from weeaboos elect a Vocaloid as a major power's head of state. I hope it's Russia. (sorry Russia) I can see it now: "Mr. President, we have word that Russia has elected Megurine Luka as their new president." "What the hell is a Margerine Luka, some sort of fucking food product?" "It appears to be some sort of Vocaloid, sir." "Are you telling me that there's more than just that...Miku?" "Yes, it seems that-" "And people actually voted for one of those things? Fuck that." "Sir, what are you-" "I've lost my faith in humanity; the planet is better off without us. Now help me with the goddamn nuclear launch codes, I can never remember how to work these things." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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