This Stunning View of Arctic Could Be Last of its Kind That’s a new image from our buds at NASA, showing the Arctic ice cap, a sort of white-capped on our blue home. If you have faith in your internet connection, you can view an 11,000 x 11,000 pixel version here. NASA’s new Suomi NPP satellite started sending images back to Earth this year, and they are stunning. We were even treated to an updated 2012 version of the iconic Blue Marble shot (which you really must see). But as the detailed images of our planet’s climate and atmosphere roll in, so does the worry that we may be capturing a few views for the last time. Each summer, Arctic sea ice melts and recedes to a certain degree due to higher temperatures. But over the past few decades, the melting has gotten faster and more severe (the 2011 melt was a record low). Don’t believe me? Check out this video from NASA showing the change in summer ice from the past 32 years. Climate change models have predicted the complete loss of summer ice in the Arctic by 2070 or so. But as this years melt begins, hot and fast, 2030 is looking like a real possibility for an ice-free Arctic. That means that in as little as 20 years, this photo could be a look into the past instead of the present. (via Smart News)
Pop-upView Separately

This Stunning View of Arctic Could Be Last of its Kind

That’s a new image from our buds at NASA, showing the Arctic ice cap, a sort of white-capped on our blue home. If you have faith in your internet connection, you can view an 11,000 x 11,000 pixel version here.

NASA’s new Suomi NPP satellite started sending images back to Earth this year, and they are stunning. We were even treated to an updated 2012 version of the iconic Blue Marble shot (which you really must see). But as the detailed images of our planet’s climate and atmosphere roll in, so does the worry that we may be capturing a few views for the last time.

Each summer, Arctic sea ice melts and recedes to a certain degree due to higher temperatures. But over the past few decades, the melting has gotten faster and more severe (the 2011 melt was a record low). Don’t believe me? Check out this video from NASA showing the change in summer ice from the past 32 years.

Climate change models have predicted the complete loss of summer ice in the Arctic by 2070 or so. But as this years melt begins, hot and fast, 2030 is looking like a real possibility for an ice-free Arctic. That means that in as little as 20 years, this photo could be a look into the past instead of the present.

(via Smart News)

Source: blogs.smithsonianmag.com

589 Notes/ Hide

  1. mystudycorner reblogged this from climateadaptation
  2. eclecticnature reblogged this from jtotheizzoe
  3. starsarewhereweallbelong reblogged this from bmrgould
  4. celynagin reblogged this from jericantics
  5. jericantics reblogged this from abigailmariee
  6. abigailmariee reblogged this from rubelynfradoc
  7. theobscureone reblogged this from jtotheizzoe
  8. gno-sis reblogged this from jtotheizzoe
  9. rubelynfradoc reblogged this from lordchiefrocka
  10. lordchiefrocka reblogged this from bonedust
  11. bonedust reblogged this from climateadaptation
  12. ccircles reblogged this from jtotheizzoe
  13. adaran7 reblogged this from truth-has-a-liberal-bias
  14. a-fabricatedisbelief reblogged this from unknownlikings
  15. unknownlikings reblogged this from awesomethatisstuff
  16. musingsofagrumpychemist reblogged this from jtotheizzoe
  17. sensiblestupidity reblogged this from climateadaptation
  18. nicollasantunes reblogged this from bmrgould
  19. particularspace reblogged this from reagan-was-a-horrible-president
  20. pikkonoloidlee reblogged this from thescienceofreality
  21. awesomeocelot reblogged this from jtotheizzoe
  22. palegirlinthecity reblogged this from jtotheizzoe
  23. cactuspizza reblogged this from jtotheizzoe
  24. blitzente reblogged this from jtotheizzoe
  25. pollywolf reblogged this from jtotheizzoe
  26. perronecrosl reblogged this from america-wakiewakie
  27. thestarkinmypants reblogged this from jtotheizzoe
  28. scifigamingmom reblogged this from reagan-was-a-horrible-president
  29. gamingtimeladyfromgallifrey reblogged this from ragingnewborn
  30. openthemoondoor reblogged this from jtotheizzoe
  31. pithyaphorisms reblogged this from jtotheizzoe
  32. somethingsarebestsecret reblogged this from jtotheizzoe
  33. scienti-a reblogged this from thestarsbeckon
  34. thestarsbeckon reblogged this from jtotheizzoe
  35. korbykorbykorby reblogged this from jtotheizzoe
  36. sekhmetsfury reblogged this from jtotheizzoe

Recent comments

Blog comments powered by Disqus