by Aaron Ratliff
Global warming is something that I grew up hearing about, starting from a very young age. Those two words became a sort of taboo, an environmental boogeyman of sorts that has been lurking around the corners of every scorching hot summer or mild winter conversation.
However, those two words, as much of an implied story as they tell, also have an inverse that is just as intriguing. Global Cooling, which isn’t nearly as popular an idea, might have a little more traction within its own right.
This research studies’ analysis and breakdown has some exceptionally interesting facts presented in it. Firstly, it offers explanations, both broad and specific, in regards to the principles of global warming and cooling. Secondly, and more importantly, it depicts a very different view than what the majority of people are discussing these days in regards to the warming of the planet.
It is no secret that the earth has warmed and cooled in a sort of pendulating fashion for thousands of years. Periods of warmth were followed by periods of intense cold, sometimes referred to as ‘Ice Ages’. Interestingly enough, according to this study and the information presented from findings within an ice core sample taken from Greenland, within these thousands of years long cooling or warming session, there are smaller cycles to be seen.
It seems that from the data, you can extrapolate the notion that roughly every thirty years within these larger scaled period of temperature fluctuation, there are minor shifts in both directions that still continue to follow the larger warming or cooling pattern.
While the overall temperature of the planet may be on a slow and steady rise due to various factors, there are smaller trends to be seen. The issue is less of a contradictory one although it may seem that way on the surface. The true issue here lies in the fact that the majority of the population doesn’t understand the entire picture of global temperature change and the things that affect it.
This issue is amplified by the fact that as Americans, we tend to only take notice of the large number shifts with just about anything. We like big numbers in everything from sports to climate change. The idea that the human-generated CO2 emissions is small (roughly .008%) to us seems like just that. A small number that will have little effect on the global picture.
There is only one small problem. When dealing with grand-scale ideas and situations like the average temperature of an entire planet and the inherent fluctuations of it, small numbers sometimes matter more.
About the Author
During his time before launching his college career and even now, Aaron has exhibited a strong proclivity for the art of writing. An avid reader all his life, his works are influenced through the likes of authorial greats like Stephen King, Christopher Moore, and Orson Scott Card. He is of the opinion that one is essential for the other. Aaron has mostly worked on creative short fiction and research papers but is now making a very exciting transition into the blogging aspects of his craft.
