If you are one of those individuals who have reservations about global warming, climate change and how rapidly it can occur, please read on. I don’t know if Science Life readers recall back in the winter, but I wrote about this science special on the Bermuda Triangle, and scientific explanations of the mysterious happenings that occur near it. One of the most compelling theories was that of large deposits of solid methane ice that is abundant in the area, was bubbling up to the surface in massive amounts and causing disturbances with ships and planes. There is definitely enough of it down there. Now, another area of our oceans could be experiencing a similar bubbling and it is also not good news:

Researchers say this could be evidence of a predicted positive feedback effect of climate change.

As temperatures rise, the sea bed grows warmer and frozen water crystals in the sediment break down, allowing methane trapped inside them to escape.

The research team found that more than 250 plumes of methane bubbles are rising from the sea bed off Norway.

What does this mean to you? Well, with the economies of the world recovering, increased industrial production is most definitely on its way. With the countries of the world speaking in maybes and not actualities when it comes to climate policy, a rise in temperatures is inevitable (save for some major event that changes the earth’s absorption of the Sun’s Energy). That is why the idea of a positive feedback loop is so important: we may have passed the point of no return. And the effects of doing nothing to the carbon levels in our atmosphere may speed up the process. It’s not only the arctic that is covered with ice; the frozen steppes and tundras of Russia and Canada can also melt, releasing even more green house gases, remnants of life from earth’s eons.

If you think this sounds alarmist, it actually isn’t. It’s a reality that our climate is changing and will continue to do so. Possibly, a mass extinction is tied to this process.  The unknown is, how fast will it change, and how will that affect us? This is beyond making a couple of energy efficient cars. This is about our way of life being unsustainable. Watch this classic TED conference moment, when artist Chris Jordan represents American production in minutes, hours, a day, a year. Understand what we are up against:

It has just been five months since the news stories surfaced of the Pentagon working on ways to reverse the effect of the sun on the earth.  Geo-engineering projects like  massive solar reflectors or making the earth’s clouds shinier- a man made volcanic ash effect- to cool the earth down have made the rounds this month. Science Channel’s Brink, in its second to last episode (sniff sniff),  devoted a segment to some of the ideas being proposed by scientists to reverse climate change. They are beyond ambitious.

What will likely happen, is what happens to most advanced civilizations. Our institutions are ill equipped to deal with the massive problems that we create with our technology, comfort  and world view. Look at health care reform: tripped up for more than 60 years, not by what one person, the president, does to sell it, but more from our congress’ inability to see how bad it is that millions of americans are scared to go to the doctor. The system works better for lobbyist agendas than it does for countless americans, documented and undocumented.

Like most advanced civilizations, we will decline. I know, it’s a bummer. It might be a slow one.  We may get a boost or even a resurgence, but eventually the American Empire will fade away, hopefully usurped by a more efficient, more generous and productive society. One that finds a better way to balance its resources.

Will geo-engineering have untold consequences on an intricate machine that is the earth? sure. But soon, what option will we have?