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ISSUE 2146 Tuesday 10 April 2001

Study says warming could fend off ice age

By Roger Highfield, Science Editor

THE greenhouse effect caused by human activity could help protect the planet from a forthcoming ice age, says a study that has angered environmentalists.

The Earth's natural and stable state is the dry and cold of an ice age, say Professor Fred Hoyle and Chandra Wickramasinghe, of Cardiff University, in the latest Astrophysics and Space Science Journal. They believe that the water and dust thrown into the atmosphere by a comet impact - a body more than 1,000 metres across - every 100,000 years or so create a powerful greenhouse effect.

They predict that the current warming will persist for up to 10,000 years, after which the world will enter another ice age. But a large greenhouse effect from burning fossil fuels and car exhausts could help offset that threat.

Professor Wickramasinghe said: "Without the greenhouse effect, the Earth would drift into an ice age. It's a minor evil compared with what we are talking about in an ice age. Perhaps, at some time in the not so distant future, if an ice age becomes imminent, we should step up rather than decrease our greenhouse gas emissions."

His comments were condemned as "irresponsible and naive" by Greenpeace. A Friends of the Earth spokesman added: "It's pretty clear that these findings go against scientific consensus. Most people realise that climate change is being caused by people and that it could be disastrous for the human race.

"A few people might be distracted by these comments but I think most people are aware that we need to reduce emissions. It's a case of one scientist saying one thing and 7,000 saying another - I know who I'd side with." The professors often court controversy: for example, they believe BSE was imported from outer space.

-- Anonymous, April 09, 2001

Answers

Not. The fossil record indicates that Dr. "W"'s iceage splits wouldn't allow enough time to evolve the species we know existed and exist. Was this on Onion or something?

-- Anonymous, April 09, 2001

ET = Electronic Telegraph. So it MUST be true, lol.

-- Anonymous, April 10, 2001

Greenhouse is good. It means more plants more trees more green. What does this mean for man more food cleaner air! Plants use things we do not and they give us oxigen.

-- Anonymous, April 10, 2001