Global Warming picturesAdvanced Photoshop Pictures Contest - 14 image entries
Contest Directions: 
Recent surveys by Yale University, Gallup and the ClearVision Institute revealed that 68 percent of Americans consider global warming as a major threat, and that life on earth could continue without severe harm only if the society takes drastic measures to stop and reduce global warming. Forty percent of the surveyed Americans said a presidential candidate's position on global warming is one of the major factors when casting their votes.
Show what life would be like with extreme global warming. Think of temperatures so high that could melt buildings and objects, make animals look fried, eggs in nests get boiled or fried, drinks go vaporized, etc...
[ browse best gallery pictures ] Tags: global warming
Jackpot: 1st place: $5, 2nd place: $3 , 3rd place: $2
Started: 10/3/2007 6:00:00 AM, Ended: 10/5/2007 6:00:00 AM
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| This contest is fueled by the following news: |
| | Global warming refers to the gradual increase in the average
temperature of the Earth's near-surface air and oceans and its
projected continuance.
Opinion, expressed by IPCC UNO Scientific societies and unanimously
endorsed by academies of Science of G8 countries, concludes that the
global average air temperature near the Earth's surface rose by 1°C
from the end of 19th Century and that "large percentage of the
observed global warming for the last 50 years is caused by the activities of
human beings. In the first place by the emission of gases, causing
greenhouse effect, such as carbon dioxide (CO2) & methane (CH4).
Scientists, who disagree with the opinion that activities of mankind
played a significant role in the observed increased in average
temperature, are very few in numbers. However, it is precisely
unknown, how much significant, the climatic changes would be in
future.
Climatic models referenced by the IPCC project that the global surface
temperatures are likely to increase by 1 to 15°C (in various regions
or on average on Earth) between 1990 & 2080. In separate regions,
temperature could decrease. In Europe, if the predictions are to be
believed, the temperature could decrease by 1°C by 2010 due to
slowing-down of Gulf stream, however, after 2010, temperature could
rapidly rise even in Europe since the cold spell process in Europe
covers total global warming (Europe would be warm approximately by
10°C by the middle or end of the next century). As expected, global warming
leads to other climatic changes, including the worldwide sea level
rise by 0.1-5 meters (It is very difficult to specify the rise and
time, may be after 30-40 years!) and to changes in the quantity and
distribution of atmospheric precipitations. As a result, other natural
cataclysms such as flooding, droughts, hurricanes etc, repercussions
to agriculture and extinction of several biological species could
occur. In all probability, global warming should increase the
frequency and span of such phenomena.
It may have a positive influence on world economics i.e. expenditure on
heating shall come down. Less people will die of severe cold and many
more other benefits. In Europe, global warming will be unstable for another 3
- 7 years.
Climatic systems change both as a result of natural internal processes
as well as in response to external effects such as anthropologic and
non - anthropologic. In this case, geological and paleontologic data
indicate the presence of long-term climatic cycles, which, in
quaternary, assumed the shape of periodic glacial movements and now are
shifting towards interglacial period.
Reasons for such climatic changes remain unknown but amongst main
external effects: Changes in Earth's orbit (Milankovich cycles), solar
activity (including the changes in solar constant), volcanic eruptions
and greenhouse effect. According to the data of direct climatic
observations (change in the temperature during the last two
centuries), average temperatures rose on the Earth and the reasons for
such increase remain topic of discussions but one of the most widely
discussed topic is anthropologic greenhouse effect.
It is known through science that the addition of water, carbon dioxide
or methane to atmosphere at other even conditions leads to rise in
temperature of planet. These gases create natural greenhouse effect
without which the temperature of Earth's surface would have been less
than by 30 °C and without which the Earth would be uninhabitable.
Hence, one cannot say that the debate is between those who "endorse"
and who are "against" the theory of greenhouse effect. Rather, overall
effect is debated due to the increase in the quantity of greenhouse
gases in atmosphere of Earth, i.e.
Whether global warming is compensated or not by the virtue of greenhouse
effect with changes in distribution of water vapors, clouds in
biosphere or other climactic factors. However, observed temperature
rise for the last 50 years contradicts the theories about compensating
roles of above-enlisted feedbacks. At the same time, uncertainty is
hovering currently about the main reason causing the rise in
concentrations of CO2 - anthropological or natural phenomena. |
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