3/30/2006

Global Warming?

The Tribune had this piece today:

U.S. Geological Survey scientists with the Global Change Research Project are unveiling a new Web site featuring a collection of repeat photographs of glaciers in and around Glacier National Park. 

The striking images created by pairing historical photographs with contemporary photographs reveal dramatic glacial recession. 

The Web site was created to showcase the photographs for scientific as well as general purposes.  USGS scientists began documenting glacial decline through photography in 1997.

While less quantitative than other hightech methods of recording glacial mass, depth, and rate of retreat, repeat photography provides an effective visual tool to better understand how climate change contributes to the dynamic landscape of Glacier National Park.

Currently, 55 images are featured on the Web site with more color versions and newly repeated photos added as they become available. Most of the photos were taken in Glacier National Park and many of the historical photos came from the Park’s archives. 

To view the photographs, go to nrmsc.usgs.gov/repeatphoto/.

To their credit, they did not attribute the glaciers melting to global warming.

Here's another take on it.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Far be it from me to criticise someone's beliefs, but after the ID (Intelligent Design) fiasco in Pennsylvania, and the hoo-haa that went on over attempting to add disclaimers to the teaching of evolution in Kansas, I think the latest reported attempt in Tennessee to pass legislation which will change the value of Pi from 3.1415 to the "Biblical value" of 3.0 is a bit overblown.

Leonard Lee Lawson, the bill's Republican sponsor, questioned the usefulness of any number that cannot be calculated exactly and
suggested that not knowing the exact answer could harm a student's self-esteem.

Meanwhile various scientists have noted that Pi is a universal constant and can't be changed arbitrarily.


The bill awaits the Governor's signature.