Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 8, 2005)
Greg Retallack shows a 500-million-year-old trilobite found off the coast of Australia. The excellent condition of this fossil indicates that it formed during a period of global warming. Zane Rrrr | Photographer Global warming: Recent conditions are unprecedented Continued from page 3 gotten wildly out of control.” Research is currently in progress to determine the causes and length of global warming episodes, but some of the effects are already known. They in clude more stormy weather, increased weather variation between seasons, in creased prevalence of fungal diseases, increased insect predation on plants and the depletion of soils. Retallack said some of these effects are appearing today. “It’s pretty clear now that we’re be yond the envelope,” Retallack said. University geography professor Pat Bartlein, while not involved with Re tallack’s recent study, also researches global warming. He said in an e-mail that there are many signs of global warming today. The last couple of decades have been the warmest to date, and the warming is unprecedented when com pared with the last 1,000 years, Bartlein wrote. “Most importantly, the pattern of temperature change is consistent with what we would predict as the response to the human-produced increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere,” Bartlein wrote. Bartlein said the Earth is already on track for decades and probably cen turies of increasingly warmer weather. Current problems with coral reefs and wetlands are another sign that global warming is taking place, Retal lack said. ^ “With many of these crises in the past, coral reefs and wetlands have re ally fared the worst,” Retallack said, explaining that organisms that don’t use lungs and muscular diaphragms to breathe are less equipped to handle air with a lower oxygen content than or ganisms that do. Retallack said human activities such as using fossil fuels, tilling soil and burning forests for fuel are at least part ly responsible for the current level of global warming. Approximately 6.6 tons of green house gases are emitted per person per year in the U.S., according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Web site. However, global warming has been occurring naturally since before hu mans existed and is not entirely caused by humans, Retallack said. “Getting worried about (global warming) is like getting worried about an earthquake or asteroid,” Retallack said. “It’s not really something you can prepare for.” Contact the business, science and technology reporter at esylwester@ daily emerald, com IN BRIEF Midwest search continues for tornado survivors EVANSVILLE, Ind. — Rescuers scaled heaps of rubble to listen for survivors trapped in debris left by a tornado that ripped through com munities in Indiana and Kentucky, killing 22 people. The tornado, the deadliest to hit Indiana since 1974, struck a horse racing track near Henderson, Ky., then crossed into Indiana, triggering emergency sirens that many people fast asleep early Sunday did not hear. At least 17 people, including three children, died at a mobile home park in Vanderburgh County and five others died in neighboring War rick County, east of Evansville. More than 100 people were taken to hospitals. Cranes lifted toppled mobile homes, and forklifts moved smashed cars into organized rows. Other heavy equipment rumbled through the debris as night fell and the air became crisp and cool. All the dead were in Indiana. The youngest victim was a 2-year-old boy who was killed along with his 61-year-old grandmother, the coro ner’s office said. jos was a leader in trying to move along negotiations for the FTAA at the weekend talks. Central America is proving to be one of Bush’s biggest success stories. The Central American Free Trade Agreement, or CAFTA, was recently ratified by Congress in a narrow vote after tough lobbying by the White House. — The Associated Press Student Groups! Advertise in the Emerald call 346-4343 or place your ad online at www.dailyemerald.com Bring this ad into Torrid & receive 15% Off your entire purchase! One coupon per purchase. Not valid with any other offer. Excludes gift cards. Offer EXPIRES December 4th, 2005 www.torrid.com SIZES Now Open *W t* 11 Ti • valley River 293 Valley River Center Eugene, OR 97401 (541) 683-6595 023689 Oregon Daily Emerald The independent campus newspaper for the University of Oregon
