The Climate Change Thread

[Retro]

Climate change: UK could hit 40C 'regularly' by the end of this century. How depressing. I've certainly noticed our summers becoming increasingly hot and uncomfortable, with today being one of those days. Did you know that people start dying if exposed to temperatures above 35C for too long? That's because we can't get rid of the heat, so our core temp of 36-37C rises, killing us.

Sweltering temperatures of up to 40C could be a regular occurrence in the UK by 2100 if carbon emissions stay very high says the Met Office.
The current record stands at 38.7C, set in Cambridge last July.
This new study says there is an "increasing likelihood" of going beyond this figure, because of the human influence on the climate.
Under the worst emissions scenario, the 40C mark could occur every three and a half years by the end of this century.

Climate change: UK could hit 40C 'regularly' by end of this century

Britain could see temperatures up to 40C every few years by 2100 if carbon emissions stay very high.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Arantor]

But of course it's not happening, it's all made up and in our heads. Obviously.

 

[Retro]

Obviously.

 

[Tiffany]

I'm watching the shark attack stats for this summer; and no it's not macabre it's a nerd thing. The water in the Atlantic and Pacific are excessively warm. Usually, when there's an excessive hot summer with ocean temps off the scale, there's a lot of shark attacks. Florida, The Carolina's, and especially the Bahamas are at high risk. I'm always amazed that people go into the ocean when the see lots seals in the distance on the coast lines (North East Coast).

 

[StojanTim]

I do find climate change sceptics quite curious and not in a nice way. You have to wonder, just how many verifiable scientific facts and measurements do some people need to accept it as actually real and happening? And there's no arguing with them either, you're labelled as "brainwashed by the establishment".

 

[Retro]

I do find climate change sceptics quite curious and not in a nice way. You have to wonder, just how many verifiable scientific facts and measurements do some people need to accept it as actually real and happening? And there's no arguing with them either, you're labelled as "brainwashed by the establishment".

The earth is flat, don't you know?

 

[StojanTim]

Don't get me started on flat earthers!!

 

[Retro]

Right, yer asking for it now!

I'd like to meet a genuine flat earther in person and see that cognitive dissonance in action first hand. Pure mental illness. Would be quite something to watch and facepalm at.

 

[StojanTim]

I mean just looking out to sea and seeing a slightly curved horizon should tell you all you need to know.

SciManDan on YouTube is a good watch, loves to take them on and debunk it.

 

[Arantor]

The FE-ish people I've met aren't really "the Earth is flat", it's more nuanced than that - they seem to be operating on a higher skepticism index than the rest of us. We take a lot 'on faith' from 'science' and one only needs to read the newspapers to have that questioned regularly - how often have 'the scientists' said that x food is good/bad/good again/bad in a specific way/good if you're over 45/gives you cancer/but not if you buy xyz-free version etc.

With that as your backdrop, you'd start questioning everything 'science' told you without more evidence. FE-ism is really science skepticism writ large, and without immersing yourself in the science and researching for yourself - which is a higher investment than many can really make - you can see where the doubt comes in.

Even the less-radical vax-skeptics are cut from the same cloth only there with a round of 'but it's my own actual body' internalised horror.

We can sit and judge - and believe me it's easy to do - but maybe we should try a little more empathy?

 

[Retro]

I mean just looking out to sea and seeing a slightly curved horizon should tell you all you need to know.

SciManDan on YouTube is a good watch, loves to take them on and debunk it.

Oh yeah, so many ways to see hints of that curve with nothing more than your own eyes at see level. I've watched that channel a few times too. Such a facepalmer lol. He's excellent at debunking FE garbage.

I was at the beach once many moons ago. There was an old WW2 battlement out to sea, perhaps a mile away with 4 yellow horizontal stripes on it. And no word of a lie, with my not so brilliant eyesight so I couldn't even see them all that clearly, I was able to see one of those lines disappear behind a very shallow "hill" of sea when I squatted down, not even sitting on the beach. That was what, just a meter or so difference in height? And that was enough to see the curve. Tried it several times and it worked every single time. Fascinating!

Another way I think I can see it is on a clear, but overcast day, again with the naked eye. That cloud canopy doesn't give the impression of flatness, but of a slight curve, doesn't it? I first noticed this when I was a small child 3-ish or so and was wondering about it. I had no clue about flat earthers and may not have even been aware of the earth's shape then, so the effect is fairly obvious and I don't think all down to perspective.

Now, if I look towards the farthest clouds that I can see, I'm sure they tend to look like they're sloped downwards, away from me in all directions, at a different angle to the ones closer to me. Perhaps have a go and see if you notice it. The higher they are, the more obvious the effect.


@Arantor You've described quite well how their thought processes most likely work, but I'm sorry, no, the evidence is abundant and irrefutable regardless of whether certain supposed scientific advice is accurate or not, so I don't agree. This is simply settled science, end of story. These people are delusional for whatever reason. They typically don't have a scientific mind and lack critical thinking skills, making them very suggestible.

 

[Retro]

ppl, if this thread suddenly looks a bit different and seems to have sprouted a poll and a new name, it's because I've realised that I had two threads about the same subject, so have merged them.

You can carry on discussions as normal now. Apologies for any inconvenience.

 

[StojanTim]

The UK's Met Office have issued a red heat warning for parts of the country. What was poignant was the BBC reporting that temperatures could "hit 40C for the first time". It would have been unbelievable as a child to be told in my lifetime we'd reach 40C.

We've already seen local disruption due to tarmac "melting" in the mid-20s so I wonder what sort of carnage will unfold? We get a similar effect in winter when there's a light dusting of snow and the UK goes into gridlock and mild panic (every. single. year.).

A good time to be in the air con and fan business that's for sure.

 

[Arantor]

I remember in the last couple of years or so where a train derailed here in Brighton due to the heat buckling the track. And this is only set to be warmer.

 

[Tiffany]

Since our grid system is about to buckle, all of us here are trying to figure out how to beat the heat if we lose power.

@Stojan Tim My mom, cleverly came up with the idea of battery operated fans. Good business, agreed, big question is how many other people have already been ahead of this idea and is there a supply available? I think it's time to go online shopping.

 

[Retro]

40C. WTF? It's shocking to see climate change / global warming in action so directly, isn't it?

Depending on my duty, I either work from home or the office. I was due to wfh next week, but my boss has scheduled me in the office to shield me from this intense heat. Legend.

 

[Retro]

I remember in the last couple of years or so where a train derailed here in Brighton due to the heat buckling the track. And this is only set to be warmer.

I think there might have been more than one incident like that. It's gonna be rough.

 

[Arantor]

I’m sure there have been other incidents but it was only one I specifically remember for “the heat buckling the rails” and “that’s a station near me”.

It's alarming, to say the least.

 

[Tiffany]

Bridges scare me. Way back, when I was a property manager, I met an engineer that was to inspect the local highway bridges. He told me that the bridges, ideally were not safe (seriously???) as he also explained to me how they are joined together and made to expand and contract depending on the temperatures. To this day, thanks to this conversation, I absolutely hate driving on expansive/very high overpass bridges.

 

[Retro]

@Tiffany I'm really surprised that engineer told you that, as safety is to be the number one featre built into them.

It's true about the expansion joints as any large structure has them. You can normally see them quite easily on bridges across the roadway and there could be more than one at each end for a large bridge. Skyscrapers and other large buildings have them too and it's normal, nothing to worry about.

Seriously, you don't need to live in fear when driving over them. I hope this helps a bit.

 

[Tiffany]

@Tiffany I'm really surprised that engineer told you that, as safety is to be the number one featre built into them.

It's true about the expansion joints as any large structure has them. You can normally see them quite easily on bridges across the roadway and there could be more than one at each end for a large bridge. Skyscrapers and other large buildings have them too and it's normal, nothing to worry about.

Seriously, you don't need to live in fear when driving over them. I hope this helps a bit.

Yeah, me too! They don't realize how much they say may have an effect. I know those darn bridges sway too with the wind and in storms. They are on huge tall pillars, and that's what also plays in my head; bridge collapse. Yes, helpful, thank you. I guess I have bridgeaphobia.

 

[Retro]

On the cusp of England cooking in 40C heat for a couple of days from tomorrow and all the trouble that's gonna bring, here's a guide to the official Met Office weather warning system. The extreme heat red warning is brand new and was created for this emergency.

One has to be a fool if they still don't think this extreme weather isn't being caused by man made global warming.

Weather warnings guide

A guide to the National Severe Weather Warning Service

www.metoffice.gov.uk

 

[Arantor]

Never underestimate the level of mental gymnastics one can do to simultaneously keep out truths they don’t want to believe in whilst enjoying the ignorance of their current situation.

See also the continued push for oil in spite of the very fundamental finiteness of it.

 

[Retro]

Ah, cognitive dissonance writ large. Sad and pathetic at the same time. What a fucked up world.

 

[Arantor]

I give you Dominic Raab, our foreign secretary and deputy prime minister.

Its going to hit a record temperature in the next day or so, an emergency government session was called.

His wisdom and sage advice is that “we should enjoy the sunshine”.