Scientists Surprised to Find Earth's Biosphere Booming 692
radioweather writes "An article from the Financial Post
says that recent studies of
biosphere imaging from the NASA SEAWIFS satellite indicate that the
Earth's
biomass is booming: 'The results surprised Steven Running of the University of Montana and
Ramakrishna Nemani of NASA, scientists involved in analyzing the NASA satellite
data. They found that over a period of almost two decades, the Earth as a whole
became more bountiful by a whopping 6.2%. About 25% of the Earth's vegetated
landmass — almost 110 million square kilometers — enjoyed significant
increases and only 7% showed significant declines. When the satellite data zooms
in, it finds that each square meter of land, on average, now produces almost 500
grams of greenery per year.' Their 2004 study, and other more recent ones, point to the warming of the
planet and the presence of CO2, fertilizing the biota and resulting in the
increased green side effect."
So now we have the (Score:5, Funny)
Re:The cycle.... (Score:5, Funny)
White house brainstorm session: (Score:4, Funny)
Moderator: How are we going to turn this into something that will scare the masses - we have a few more anti-privacy bills to pass..
Jeff: We'll be attacked any minute by a muslim man-eating creeper and..
Jill: What about we are all going to starve because.. uhh..
Tony: We're gonna be taken over by weeds..
Jill: Weed!
Jeff: Man eating weed..
All together: Muslim-man-eating-weed!
Moderator: Great, let's write that one down.
Re:So now we have the (Score:4, Funny)
Benjamin Franklin
The questions that remain are to the manner and time, the costs paid in the meantime and those costs left behind.
Re:The pertinent question... (Score:2, Funny)
It's a good life, if you are a plant. Plants like it in greenhouses, gardeners not so much.
Re:The cycle.... (Score:5, Funny)
We could be the Vogons of the galaxy. I'd like the shouting part.
Re:Return of the slime (Score:5, Funny)
Re:The cycle.... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:corn, wheat, soybeans, rice, are biomass (Score:2, Funny)
Re:So now we have the (Score:5, Funny)
Re:The cycle.... (Score:2, Funny)
Re:obvious answer (Score:2, Funny)
Re:I agree (Score:5, Funny)
Re:I agree (Score:4, Funny)
Re:So now we have the (Score:5, Funny)
Anyway, Earth, in its aspect as a living system, can survive the impact of a gigantic Asteroid and destruction of almost all Plant and Animal life, repopulating back to previous levels within a few tens of millions of years.
That the biomass is booming is simply an example of the very same mechanisms at work.
All species go extinct, all of them, that includes us. The greatest likelihood is that the Voyager probe will outlast the species that created it.
There is some small chance that we will make it to the stars and survive, but this will spark a new round of evolution. Result? Extinction of the current form of Homo Sapiens.
My only consolation is that this includes the french
Re:So now we have the (Score:1, Funny)
Re:The cycle.... (Score:5, Funny)
My advice is to be extra specially careful around those times.
Re:The cycle.... (Score:4, Funny)
Re:So now we have the (Score:2, Funny)
Re:So now we have the (Score:4, Funny)
Zero. And infinity. Especially on the denominator side of equations.
Re:So now we have the (Score:2, Funny)
'the rest of the Middle East' should have better things to do with their days, don't you think?
Problem is, they have a European generated cancer in their midst, which needs to be excised, but the 'Merkins love the cancer, so it's unlikely that the evil will be expunged.
Fuck you and the horse you rode in on, Mr AC.
Re:So now we have the (Score:3, Funny)
Re:So now we have the (Score:3, Funny)
It's the founding father of 'that which cannot be', and it's in your fractals, giving area to your curves. That's spooky shit.
Re:Peak Oil Loonies? (Score:3, Funny)
Given that most of the world, including most industrialized nations, can function with a fraction of the per capita oil consumption of the US, I'd say yes. Granted, some American habits and conveniences might have to go, but they're not essential for functioning.
Given the current rise in oil prices, we'll probably soon get a chance to find out whether my guess is correct. I hope it is, since we'll be in even deeper shit than we're already in otherwise.
Re:So now we have the (Score:5, Funny)
Re:So now we have the (Score:3, Funny)