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Originally Posted by HydrogenBond
I heard on a radio talk program that said that the ice caps of the Earth and Mars were both melting. I did a little research and this is indeed the case. http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2..._southpole.htm
Since there are no humans on Mars yet, and very little greenhouse gas, maybe the solar energy ouptut is more important than expected with respect to global warming. |
Uh...not. Did you read the article?
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Originally Posted by nasaarticle
...Like Earth, Mars has seasons that cause its polar caps to wax and wane. "It's late spring at the south pole of Mars," says planetary scientist Dave Smith of the Goddard Space Flight Center. "The polar cap is receding because the springtime sun is shining on it."...
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This is a regular seasonal event on Mars for even backyard astronomers with a modest telescope. It is not correlated in this article to current increase in solar output.
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Originally Posted by InfiniteNow
This could all get very interesting very soon. After all, I personally have never seen an Eskimo with a sunburn not the result of reflection off the snow...
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It's getting interesting right now.
The rapid recession of sea ice in the arctic is threatening the polar bears and the seals & therefore the livelihood of the Innuit. They face a more critical concern than sunburn.
PS I don't have a link, but I hear that as the permafrost is melting in Alaska & other polar regions the vegetative material is starting to rot & is releasing considerable methane gas.
PPS Here's that link, just a year old:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/climatecha...546824,00.html
