 |
| Warming oceans will cause sea levels to rise |
If global temperatures continue to rise due to the greenhouse effect, Earth could revert to the Jurassic period 150 million years ago. This means that all life forms would be eradicated…
Recently, at an international scientific conference held in Nanjing, China, over 80 scientists from around the world warned that Earth could revert to the Jurassic period 150 million years ago.
This was a time when both the Earth’s temperature and sea levels were significantly high, leading to the extinction of all life forms.
Archaeological findings indicate that the stratigraphy of the Jurassic period is very distinct, with red strata on top and bottom, while large coal deposits sit in between, suggesting that the greenhouse effect was already occurring during the Jurassic. The temperatures were likely very high at that time, turning the sediment into red, and in those red strata, no fossil traces of living organisms were found, indicating that all life had been wiped out.
More recent evidence shows that the carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere 400,000 years ago was around 180-280 ppm (parts per million). However, since the Industrial Revolution, this concentration has been continuously rising, reaching 379 ppm by 2004. This condition has led to a severe greenhouse effect reminiscent of the Jurassic period.
Scientists predict that if carbon dioxide levels continue to rise, in 100 years or even sooner, the greenhouse effect similar to the Jurassic period could re-emerge. At that point, ice at the Earth’s poles would melt, land masses would shrink, temperatures would rise, and a large number of species would be destroyed. Venus serves as a cautionary tale regarding the greenhouse effect for Earth.
The surface temperature of Venus reaches nearly 500 °C, making it impossible for any life forms to exist.
Not only is it dry and hot, but over 90% of Venus’s atmosphere is composed of carbon dioxide, with atmospheric pressure 90 times greater than that of Earth. Additionally, Venus is shrouded by a thick layer of sulfuric acid clouds.
The primary cause of the heat on Venus is the greenhouse effect.
Some scientists speculate that there may have once been a warm environment on Venus, but uncontrolled greenhouse effects caused all surface water to evaporate (water vapor also exacerbates the greenhouse effect), ultimately transforming Venus into the “oven” it is today. While the “greenhouse effect” has become a significant concern regarding Earth’s temperatures, without any greenhouse effect, Earth’s temperatures would remain below 0 °C, precluding any possibility of life.
By the end of the 21st century, Earth’s temperature could increase by 1.4 to 5.8 °C due to the greenhouse effect, which would pose additional threats from natural disasters. Humanity will face hazards caused by its own actions if not controlled in a timely manner.
Snow Nhung
