Ancient sea sponges at centre of controversial claim world has already warmed by 1.7C
Ancient sea sponges at centre of controversial claim world has already warmed by 1.7C
Findings in leading scientific journal that globe has breached key warming milestone challenged by climate science experts
Findings in leading scientific journal that globe has breached key warming milestone challenged by climate science experts
Between 30 metres and 90 metres below the surface of the Caribbean Sea, an ancient sponge species that grows a hard skeleton has been quietly recording changes in the ocean temperature for hundreds of years.
Now those sponges are at the centre of a bold and controversial claim made in a leading scientific journal that, since the start of the Industrial Revolution, the planet may have already warmed by 1.7C – half a degree more than estimates used by the United Nation’s climate panel.
Several leading scientists urged caution, saying the research had “over-reached” and questioned whether such a bold claim could be made based on one sponge species from a single location.
But Prof Malcolm McCulloch of the University of Western Australia, who led the research published in the journal Nature Climate Change, said the results were robust.
This is interesting, I'd love to see some follow-up papers and more investigation.
Arguing over deck chair placement on the titanic.
until someone finds a reason why this method might be unreliable, it isn't controversial.. it's a scientific fact with implications..
That is absolutely antithetical to the scientific process. Nothing is considered 'fact' until rigorously proven. This is interesting evidence that absolutely warrants criticism.
Hey, have you noticed how everyone is saying you're wrong and nobody is upvoting your replies? Maybe take a moment to reflect on why that might be.
To anyone reading this comment thinking it makes a kind of sense on the surface (I'm no scientist) - keep reading. This comment is clearly meant to be just a bit of shit stirring
Different parts of the world are warming at different rates. So while it might be true that a part of the Caribbean warmed by 1.7 degrees, that doesn't tell us much about the Earth as a whole.