Antarctica Cooling Despite Supposed Global Warming, by Gretchen Randall

BACKGROUND: Nature magazine online reports January 14 that studies show temperatures on the continent of Antarctica have been falling 1.2 degrees Fahrenheit per decade since the mid-l980s. This disputes earlier claims that temperatures were rising in Antarctica, but earlier readings were taken on the peninsula rather than inland, where the latest reported readings were taken.

TEN SECOND RESPONSE: Again, predictions by scientists supportive of the global warming theory have been shown to be a guess -a guess that quite often has proven to be incorrect. It’s time we listen to those scientists who acknowledge that computer models cannot accurately forecast future climate change.

THIRTY SECOND RESPONSE: This study demonstrates that climate change on this planet is still little understood. Past predictions of drastic changes have not happened and now scientists supportive of the global warming theory admit they are ‘confused’ by the recent cooling in Antarctica. Yet it is these scientists who adamantly tell us global warming is happening while scientific data refutes their claims.

DISCUSSION: The National Science Foundation’s Longterm Ecological Research team has gathered temperature data in the Dry Valleys near McMurdo Sound in Antarctica since 1986. While temperatures have risen in the peninsula that sticks out in the water close to South America, scientists are unable to explain why temperatures have been falling in the interior of the continent. Dr. Peter Doran, of the University of Illinois and chief author of the report, is quoted in the Washington Post (January 14), “We’ve sort of hit a point where we’re a little confused.” He is also quoted as saying the research “does not change the fact that the planet has warmed up on the whole. The findings simply point out that Antarctica is not responding as expected.”

Recent NASA satellite data show no increase in warming in the lower atmosphere over the last 22 years. This is the area that computer models used by scientists supportive of the global warming theory predicted would warm first if carbon dioxide emissions were indeed causing global warming. The only measurements that show warming are surface temperatures.



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