When we say the end of the world, we just really mean the end of the human race. The world itself will carry on as it has for billions of years before the first man walked the earth. Or should the end come in the form of humongous asteroid that crushes the planet or a black hole that gobbles it up into nothingness, chances are life will prevail. Just not life as we know it. But then we don’t really need a menace from outer space to send us to kingdom come, do we? We’re plenty enough to handle as it is. Evolution need not run its course to see Homo sapiens go the way of the dinosaur. Notwithstanding our species’ lofty claims to rational thought, we are on the fast track to extinction and have only ourselves to blame. No kidding – it will be game over for us sooner or later. And going by a recent US study on Global Warming, sooner it more like it. Global Warming, increase in the average temperature of the atmosphere, oceans, and landmasses of Earth. The planet has warmed (and cooled) many times during the 4.65 billion years of its history. At present Earth appears to be facing a rapid warming, which most scientists believe results, at least in part, from human activities. The chief cause of this warming is thought to be the burning of fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, and natural gas, which releases into the atmosphere carbon dioxide and other substances known as greenhouse gases. As the atmosphere becomes richer in these gases, it becomes a better insulator, retaining more of the heat provided to the planet by the Sun. Read Countdown to Extinction, our feature on the havoc we’ve wrought on the planet and find out why the clock is ticking
No comments:
Post a Comment