Archives
Categories
WeatherGuys Links
Author Archives: WeatherGuys Editor
Did climate change kill the dinosaurs?
Sixty-six million years ago, the age of the dinosaurs ended abruptly, coinciding with the extinction of about 75 percent of the total number of living species.
Evidence and climate modeling indicate that global wildfires resulted from a collision with a massive asteroid that could have lofted large amounts of soot into the atmosphere. The smoke would have plunged Earth into darkness for nearly two years, which would have shut down photosynthesis, drastically cooled the planet, and contributed to the mass extinctions as evidenced in the fossil record. Continue reading
Who is Increase Lapham?
Many consider Increase Lapham to be one of Wisconsin’s greatest scientists. Though never formally educated, Lapham demonstrated an early talent for topographical sketching and became an engineer and surveyor of canals in the 1830s. He was born in Palmyra, New … Continue reading
Why do bridges ice before the road?
Living in a cold climate, we are used to seeing signs that say “bridge freezes before road.” The fundamental reason is that a bridge hangs above the ground, while the roadway rests on the ground. Water on a road or … Continue reading
What’s happening with the ozone hole?
Encouraging news arrived this week regarding the size of the Southern Hemisphere ozone hole. NASA reported that this year’s ozone hole (which peaked on Sept. 11 at 7.6 million square kilometers) was the smallest since 1988, just years after the problem was first identified.
Though a number of factors contribute to the annual size of the ozone hole, it is beyond doubt that the leading factor is the reduction of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), industrial chemicals long used for refrigeration among other things. Continue reading
Is there a net loss of water from the upper atmosphere?
Yes, but very little loss occurs.
Our planet, along with all planets that have an atmosphere, lose gases to outer space. Continue reading
