Assignemnt: Climatic Change

Watch the Technology, Entertainment and Design (TED) video Rob Dunbar on Discovering Ancient Climates in Oceans and Ice (18:14):

Please answer in full sentences and cite all references in APA format. Your answers should be in full sentences and paragraph form. Please use your own words; copying and pasting from the Internet is not allowed. You should cite any sources that you use:

1) There is much debate today on whether climate change is real or not. Where do YOU weigh in on this topic? Give me researched facts/data supporting your assertion. Remember that Earth has been cycling in and out of ice ages/interglacials for almost all of time. Are we in a natural cycle or are we changing things? Include citations.

2) Climate change is a bit of a political issue today. Perhaps it's an over simplification but it seems to be along party lines. What do the drilling of the Ross Ice Shelf and the growth bands on the Galapagos coral tell us? How does any of this scientific data hit mainstream? Include at least two citations.

3) Watch the independently organized TED event (TEDx) video Jeff Masters on Nine Potential $100 Billion Weather Disasters of the Next 30 Years (18:23). Wow, what a video - Hurricanes, Droughts, Floods, Geomagnetic Storms, and Nuclear Bombs all threaten our way of life! One thing I think Mr. Masters missed is volcanoes - after all 1816 was the "year without a summer." Choose one of these "disasters," and do a bit of research. Tell me why you chose the potential disaster you did, and what it has done to our climate/atmosphere/way of life IN THE PAST. We have past events such as the "Little Ice Age" and the "Younger Dryas" just to name a few.

You must post first before you will see the postings of your classmates. Refer to the Guideline for Discussions for guidance about posting to Discussions.