The whole of the Earth heated up in medieval times without human CO2 emissions, says new study

[luckytxn 2,263]

Current theories of the causes and impact of global warming have been thrown into question by a new study which shows that during medieval times the whole of the planet heated up.

It then cooled down naturally and there was even a 'mini ice age'.

A team of scientists led by geochemist Zunli Lu from Syracuse University in New York state, has found that contrary to the ‘consensus’, the ‘Medieval Warm Period’ approximately 500 to 1,000 years ago wasn’t just confined to Europe.

In fact, it extended all the way down to Antarctica – which means that the Earth has already experience global warming without the aid of human CO2 emissions.

At present the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) argues that the Medieval Warm Period was confined to Europe – therefore that the warming we’re experiencing now is a man-made phenomenon.

However, Professor Lu has shown that this isn’t true – and the evidence lies with a rare mineral called ikaite, which forms in cold waters.

‘Ikaite is an icy version of limestone,’ said Lu. ‘The crystals are only stable under cold conditions and actually melt at room temperature.’

It turns out the water that holds the crystal structure together - called the hydration water - traps information about temperatures present when the crystals formed.

This finding by Lu's research team establishes, for the first time, ikaite as a reliable way to study past climate conditions.

The scientists studied ikaite crystals from sediment cores drilled off the coast of Antarctica. The sediment layers were deposited over 2,000 years.

The scientists were particularly interested in crystals found in layers deposited during the ‘Little Ice Age,’ approximately 300 to 500 years ago, and during the Medieval Warm Period before it.

Both climate events have been documented in Northern Europe, but studies have been inconclusive as to whether the conditions in Northern Europe extended to Antarctica.

Lu’s team found that in fact, they did.

They were able to deduce this by studying the amount of heavy oxygen isotopes found in the crystals.

During cool periods there are lots, during warm periods there aren’t.

‘We showed that the Northern European climate events influenced climate conditions in Antarctica,’ Lu says. ‘More importantly, we are extremely happy to figure out how to get a climate signal out of this peculiar mineral. A new proxy is always welcome when studying past climate changes.’

The research was recently published online in the journal Earth And Planetary Science Letters and will appear in print on April 1.

[웃 910]

Zunli Lu deserves a Nobel Prize.

[luckytxn 2,263]

I didn't read anywhere in the article that stated he was a Leftist, Commie. Pinko, Socialist puke so I believe he would be disqualified from winning.

Zunli Lu deserves a Nobel Prize.

[Bobby+Umit 161]

The paper abstract doesn't say that the MWP heated up the whole earth - it says this:

This ikaite record qualitatively supports that both the Medieval Warm Period and Little Ice Age extended to the Antarctic Peninsula

Source

(bolding mine)

I would imagine they would need to get more data (from other areas) to claim the whole earth heated up.

With that said - this is very interesting research, and I am keen to see more.

Edited March 27, 2012 by Bobby+Umit

[luckytxn 2,263]

The paper abstract doesn't say that the MWP heated up the whole earth - it says this:

Source

(bolding mine)

I would imagine they would need to get more data (from other areas) to claim the whole earth heated up.

With that said - this is very interesting research, and I am keen to see more.

Looks like actual science.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Curtis, you do realize that no body of climatologists has ever made the claim that warming periods can't happen naturally, right? And if you do know that, then you should know that the issue over our current warming period is that it is greatly being accelerated by anthropogenic CO2. It would be like you being able to go from 0 - 100 mph in your big rig in under 3 seconds. Just imagine that for a minute. That's the concern here. Adaptability is much more difficult when a change happens rapidly versus gradually. The theories over why the dinosaurs went extinct have to do with a very rapid change in the atmosphere (large meteor). They all didn't die at the moment of impact, but they died off because they didn't have enough time to adapt. It's just too bad that the yahoo denialists can't get past their ignorance of science to understand the real issues with GW and why it is such a major concern. This earth and its inhabitants are in for some tough times ahead and I'm worried about my children's future as well as their children's children.

[luckytxn 2,263]

Curtis, you do realize that no body of climatologists has ever made the claim that warming periods can't happen naturally, right? And if you do know that, then you should know that the issue over our current warming period is that it is greatly being accelerated by anthropogenic CO2. It would be like you being able to go from 0 - 100 mph in your big rig in under 3 seconds. Just imagine that for a minute. That's the concern here. Adaptability is much more difficult when a change happens rapidly versus gradually. The theories over why the dinosaurs went extinct have to do with a very rapid change in the atmosphere (large meteor). They all didn't die at the moment of impact, but they died off because they didn't have enough time to adapt. It's just too bad that the yahoo denialists can't get past their ignorance of science to understand the real issues with GW and why it is such a major concern. This earth and its inhabitants are in for some tough times ahead and I'm worried about my children's future as well as their children's children.

Then they shouldn't have to be so deceitful. Them being so harms that case and the supposed science. This paper this scientist is publishing is going to be peer reviewed and open to discussion by all. That is real science.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Then they shouldn't have to be so deceitful. Them being so harms that case and the supposed science. This paper this scientist is publishing is going to be peer reviewed and open to discussion by all. That is real science.

Mmkay.

[Neonred 3,446]

Truth is the Earth is moving closer to the sun. It's all being kept hush hush so as not to scare people. We only have a few decades left, if that.

Edited March 27, 2012 by Neonred

[Bobby+Umit 161]

Looks like actual science.

Yes - the paper is ---

However - the take of the daily mail is wrong...

from the actual researcher:

Zunli Lu

anyone knows journalism help me understand this? is this what reporters do these days? Add a conclusion, that they like, to other people's work remotly related to the topic, coin a flashy title, and make big news?

Source

This is an example how people twist things to suit their point of view - it doesn't help.

BTW - current warming is way more than the MWP - so there is that.