5th Threat: Biospheric

This threat to life is the second of three ‘Local’ threats; a good example of the fact that you not only need to live in a safe neighborhood, but a safe home as well. Never mind the more immediate danger from earthquakes, tsunamis, and super volcanoes, we can’t take the air we breathe and the water we drink for granted. The Moon and Mars have lost (or mostly lost) theirs—and Venus is an example of a good thing gone bad.

                 http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr161/lect/venus/atmosphere.html

                With an atmosphere of 96% carbon dioxide, Venus is a greenhouse with little free oxygen.  It’s too hot for surface water, and even if there was any, it would be laced with sulphuric acid. And in case you think the 5^th Threat is esoteric, this, or something similar is where we’re headed.

                First up: atmospheres can change. Earth is on its third. In fact, for much of history, our air wasn’t much better than that of Venus.

http://teachertech.rice.edu/Participants/louviere/history.html

                Second, organisms can change atmospheres. To wit, we wouldn’t have oxygen without bacteria, and humans (simply larger symbiotic bags of bacteria) are now pumping carbon dioxide into the air.

No one denies this, but those that are doing the most damage ignore scientists and pretend it doesn’t make any difference. Availing themselves of science—they gladly crank up the AC in their pickups and SUV’s, pop open a cold one from the fridge, or fire off a couple of rounds from their AK47’s—but tell them something they don’t want to hear and suddenly they’re smarter than Einstein. Saying there are two sides to the ‘Climate Debate’ is like saying there are two sides to the Holocaust.

Anyway, it may already be too late.

http://blog.syracuse.com/opinion/2013/05/climate_change_400_ppm_carbon.html

 

            I hope there is a hell for nay-sayers and do-nothings.  I guess it would look like Venus.