Arctic sea route opens
1 hour, 9 minutes ago
The Arctic's Northwest Passage has opened up fully because of melting sea ice, clearing a long-sought but historically impassable route between Europe and Asia, the European Space Agency said.
Sea ice has shrunk in the Arctic to its lowest level since satellite measurements began 30 years ago, ESA said, showing images of the now "fully navigable" route between the Atlantic and the Pacific.
A shipping route through the Northwest Passage in the Canadian Arctic has been touted as a possible cheaper option to the Panama Canal for many shippers.
"We have seen the ice-covered area drop to just around 3 million square km," said Leif Toudal Pedersen of the Danish National Space Centre, describing the drop in the Arctic sea ice as "extreme."
The figure was about 1 million sq km (386,870 sq miles) less than previous lows in 2005 and 2006, Pedersen added.
The Northeast Passage through the Russian Arctic remained partially blocked, but in the light of the latest developments it may well open sooner than expected, Pedersen said.
Polar regions are very sensitive to climate change, ESA said, noting that some scientists have predicted the Arctic would be ice free as early as 2040.
Almost all experts say global warming, stoked by human use of fossil fuels, is happening about twice as fast in the Arctic as elsewhere on the planet. Once exposed, dark ground or sea soak up far more heat than ice and snow
Interesting Article!! The global warming argument is an interesting one.
I am not a scientest therefore I cannot agrue on the validity of GW. ;)
I do know that if I go out to my car, start it up, place my lips on the tail pipe
and suck for a few minutes it will make me sick or in the worst case kill me. :)
Therefore what I put into the air can and does have an effect on the environment and
I choose to limit my negative effect as much as possible.
Matt
green house gases, METHANE, a 3 degree rise in ocean temperatures, and METHANE is released. No big deal. Other than it is a green house gas unlike any other. When the ice is gone, the oceans will heat up. This is what the scientific community knows. SCARY, probably will happen in this century. Scientist are not idiots. When this METHANE is released, a very strong global warming will occur.
This is simple, first year chemistry. Study, lots of methane, the effects will be catastrophic.
chuck
[b]AGM BATTERIES[/b]