posted on Oct, 24 2006 @ 07:08 PM
According to a recent study, global warming may be affected by the amount of cosmic rays bombarding earth.
It seems that cosmic rays can increase
the formation of clouds, which help cool the earth by shielding it from solar radiation. We are now apparently in a down cycle of cosmic rays, which
means less cloud formation and thus a warmer earth.
Article
According to a theory proposed a decade ago, when a star explodes far away in the Milky Way, cosmic rays high-speed atomic particles go through
the Earths atmosphere and produce ions and free electrons.
The released electrons act as catalysts and accelerate the formation of small clusters of sulfuric acid and water molecules, the building blocks of
clouds. Therefore, cosmic rays would increase cloud cover on Earth, reflecting sunlight and keeping the planet relatively cool.
Of course, some scientists and environmentalists will disagree. Why? Perhaps because this theory would take people as culprits out of the global
warming equation.
And if we are not to blame, and there is no way for us to control the amount of cosmic rays hitting the earth, what will all
the global warming alarmists have left to harass us about?
I'm sure the first attempt to debunk this theory will say that "we still need to try and do something!". But here's another theory I have for
those that would make that statement; "What if - as some have predicted earlier - not for the cosmic ray warming effect on our climate, we would
actually be starting another ice age?" That's right. Maybe we should just leave the natural processes well enough alone.