Mars is being hit by rapid climate change and it is happening so fast that the red planet could lose its southern ice cap, writes Jonathan Leake.
Scientists from Nasa say that Mars has warmed by about 0.5C since the 1970s. This is similar to the warming experienced on Earth over approximately the same period.
Since there is no known life on Mars it suggests rapid changes in planetary climates could be natural phenomena.
"Could be"? How, in the name of science, could it be anything but a natural phenomena considering it is taking place on Mars?
Of course the article goes on to say that the mechanisms on Mars are different than those here on earth (strong winds, dark areas absorbing light, etc), but the fact remains something other than AGW has caused the initiation of this "different mechanism" on Mars. But somehow not mentioned in of all of this is old Sol. While we worry about our lightbulbs here, the biggest lightbulb in the solar system is essentially ignored or waved away when talking about an increase in temperature on Mars. What "could be" a more natural phenomenon than that?
We should just start a list of things that we shouldn't bother to think about.
1. If GW is entirely man made why are other places in the solar system warming up as well?
2. Is CO2 in the atmosphere a leading or lagging indicator?
I'm sure there will be many more.
But for now, pondering such topics is strictly verboten!
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