Carbon Dioxide Ends The Ice Age

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-17611404

A study was recently conducted which proves that an increase in the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere caused the ice age to come to an end. The carbon dioxide level throughout this time period increased from 180 ppm to 260 ppm and was able to increase the Earths average temperature to melt the ice through a series of events. Something so minor like the increase in one substance can have such a great effect on the climate of the Earth. With carbon dioxide levels raising higher and higher, sitting at 392 ppm currently, it makes me curious about the extent to which they are going to affect the climate. Maybe the predictions previously made about the kinds of climate change our Earth is going to experience in the future are an understatement of the reality. As the future approaches with little progression in the fight to limit harmful carbon dioxide emissions, concerns being raised regarding the issue of global warming are more valid than ever, and should be approached with a serious attitude.

Well this should certainly serve as a wake up call for all those who believed global warming and climate change to be a hoax. The idea that a natural accumulation of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere eventuated the end of the ice age leads one to consider just how drastically our actions can impact all life on earth. Recent studies indicate that rising Co2 levels ran slightly ahead of the climbing temperatures during this period in history, contrary to evidence collected from earlier studies of antarctic ice cores. The new climate history that has been uncovered is broader in scope providing a fuller picture of the changes occurring on a global scale. As many of us are likely aware, Co2 levels from years past can be determined by drilling into ice and extracting what is known as an ice core. The ice core contains air pockets which can be tested to measure the concentration of Co2. Aside from this method of analysis, the amount of magnesium in the skeletons and shells of ancient planktonic marine organisms was dependent on water temperature and thus scientists can infer what the temperatures were like. Although the changes in climate currently being observed are gradual it is absolutely critical that we focus on reducing our carbon footprint for the future of our species and our world.