| On January 2010, NASA reported that the 21st | | | | Climatic Changes |
| century's first decade was the warmest ever. For | | | | By studying the weather shifts throughout the |
| most scientists the news didn't come as a surprise. | | | | earths' history, scientists already concluded that |
| The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) | | | | climate has never been a stable factor on this planet. |
| already announced in 2007 that the 11 warmest | | | | The reasons for climatic changes aren't completely |
| years on record transpired in the 13 years | | | | known. Yet most researchers believe that certain |
| beforehand and that the trend wasn't over yet. | | | | changes in the atmosphere (such as the ones we've |
| Temperatures have been rising globally, and even | | | | experienced since the industrial revolution) play a |
| winter is assailable. | | | | major role in the ups and downs this planet has seen, |
| The National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) reported in | | | | weather wise. |
| March 2010 that the average worldwide temperature | | | | Sources of Greenhouse Gases |
| for winter was 12.7 C. With temperatures rising by | | | | During the past century, most of the greenhouse |
| 0.60 C above the average for the cold season, it is | | | | gases emission has been caused by man made |
| obvious that global warming is becoming a worldwide | | | | process of fossil fuel burning. The US EPA |
| quandary. | | | | (Environmental Protection Agency) annual greenhouse |
| The earth is getting warmer, but global warming | | | | gas emission report from 2000 divides gas emissions |
| entails so much more than the average accession in | | | | by their origin, showing that the top sectors emitting |
| temperatures. The past few years have seen | | | | harmful gases into the atmosphere are power |
| preternatural weather conditions occurring in different | | | | stations (21%), industrial processes (16.5%) and |
| regions. In 2007 South-East Europe suffered from | | | | transportation fuels (14%). In addition to these |
| extreme heat waves the otherwise cool countries | | | | gases, researchers claim that as temperatures keep |
| have never encountered before, while on the other | | | | rising, we can expect another 70,000 million tons of |
| side of the equator Australia had its coldest winter in | | | | methane gas buried in the frozen grounds of Siberia |
| years. | | | | to lead to more sources of dispersing greenhouse |
| These extreme weather conditions happening | | | | gases in the future. |
| worldwide also manifest in prolonged droughts on the | | | | Solar variation |
| one hand and severe flooding on the other. In fact, | | | | Dating back to 60s, studies have shown a correlation |
| as you are reading this, the South Pole ice is melting, | | | | between solar variations and climate changes. Today, |
| causing sea levels to rise by 3mm per year. The | | | | scientists like the Danish Henrik Svensmark and the |
| world is getting hotter and crazier but why? | | | | Israeli Nir Shaviv, offer a similar hypothesis claiming |
| Here are a few reasons our scientists have come up | | | | that cosmic rays passing through the atmosphere |
| with: | | | | create cloud condensations which in turn enhance the |
| The Greenhouse Effect and Global Dimming | | | | greenhouse effect but also reflect light back to the |
| The amount of radiation absorbed by the earth | | | | sun, causing the globe to cool down. |
| depends on how dark it is. The darker the globe, the | | | | Proving a connection between the movement and |
| more radiation it absorbs. This radiation turns into | | | | activity of the sun to the changing climate on earth, |
| heat emitted into space and upon its return | | | | these researchers believe that solar variations |
| swallowed by the atmosphere, thus creating the | | | | allowing more cosmic rays to hit earth are the ones |
| greenhouse effect which keeps the planet 300 | | | | causing the globe to heat. Opposing the majority of |
| degrees hotter than its surrounding. | | | | researchers believing that the greenhouse gasses are |
| The role the atmosphere plays in the greenhouse | | | | to blame, these scientists claim that the reverse |
| effect and heat balance of the globe is in an | | | | process in which cosmic rays cause the world to |
| important one. Although it constitutes 78% nitrogen | | | | heat and carbon dioxide to disperse from the oceans, |
| and 21% oxygen, its heavier gases such as carbon | | | | are the real cause for the high levels of carbon |
| dioxide along with water vapors are the gases | | | | dioxide found today. |
| charge of the greenhouse effect, absorbing the infra | | | | Confused? So are we. But no matter what the |
| red rays emitted from the earth and causing it to | | | | causes are, no one can argue with the fact that the |
| heat. At the same time, water vapors in the | | | | world is getting hotter and gassier. That's where |
| atmosphere raise the earths' opacity by dispersing | | | | Global Energy Inc comes into play, providing an |
| sunlight, preventing the rays from reaching the | | | | alternative for fossil fuels, helping the world cool |
| earths' surface, causing the effect known as global | | | | down and making sure that the air we breathe is |
| dimming. | | | | cleaner. |