The Brink of Catastrophe: Climate Change’s Disastrous
Effects
Andrew Ho
As Florida faces the looming threat of one-third of its
land submerged within three decades due to climate change,
a chilling parallel emerges with the ancient
Ordovician-Silurian extinction.
In thirty years, one-third of Florida could be
underwater. This is a dramatic estimation, but it is
rooted in scientific evidence of rising sea levels due
to warmer weather. In fact, many scientists believe that
we are causing the sixth mass extinction of Earth’s
history. Interestingly, a type of climate change was
actually one of the root causes of the first mass
extinction
"Many scientists believe that we are causing the sixth
mass extinction of Earth’s history."
The first mass extinction, known as the
Ordovician-Silurian extinction, occurred 443.8 million
years ago. During the Ordovician period, there occurred
a flourishing in marine life and early terrestrial
animals. Underground minerals named silicates were
responsible for absorbing any CO2 that the Earth
naturally produced. Unfortunately, the silicates began
absorbing too much CO2, and the Earth cooled to an
uncomfortably cold temperature. Eventually, the Earth
became so cold that ice sheets began to form on the
ground; these ice sheets in turn blocked the silicates
from absorbing CO2.This blockage was not a solution,
however. In fact, it caused an even more devastating
problem. As there was nothing to absorb the amounts of
CO2 produced on Earth, the atmosphere began to warm to
hotter temperatures. In response to warmer temperatures,
the ice sheets melted and produced large floods of water
which devastated life forms globally. Ironically, the
dissolution of the ice sheets caused the silicates to
begin absorbing CO2 again, restarting a fatal cycle of
negative feedback.
An image of silicate.
This blockage was not a solution, however. In fact, it
caused an even more devastating problem. As there was
nothing to absorb the amounts of CO2 produced on Earth,
the atmosphere began to warm to hotter temperatures. In
response to warmer temperatures, the ice sheets melted
and produced large floods of water which devastated life
forms globally. Ironically, the dissolution of the ice
sheets caused the silicates to begin absorbing CO2
again, restarting a fatal cycle of negative feedback.
At the rate at which our world is heating up, the human race will not last much longer. As authority decides to ignore the devastating problem of climate change, they ignore the extinction of our own population. As we sink down into oblivion, one can’t help but wonder at the stupidity of the human race. This has all happened before; we just realized a little too late.
At the rate at which our world is heating up, the human race will not last much longer. As authority decides to ignore the devastating problem of climate change, they ignore the extinction of our own population. As we sink down into oblivion, one can’t help but wonder at the stupidity of the human race. This has all happened before; we just realized a little too late.
Sources:
[Britannica] ⇒
https://www.britannica.com/list/major-mass-extinctions
[CBS News] => https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/scientists-warn-south-florida-coastal-cities-will-be-affected-by-sea-level-rise/#:~:text=So%20what%20does%20that%20mean,Dade%20county%20will%20be%20underwater.
Image -> https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/sea-ice.jpg
[CBS News] => https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/scientists-warn-south-florida-coastal-cities-will-be-affected-by-sea-level-rise/#:~:text=So%20what%20does%20that%20mean,Dade%20county%20will%20be%20underwater.
Image -> https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/sea-ice.jpg