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1500 questions
25
votes
4 answers
Could the extraction of energy by wind turbines be harmful to the environment?
Wind turbines work by converting some of the energy from wind to electrical energy. Is it possible to have too many turbines, leading to them removing too much energy from the wind? I'm not an environmental scientist, but I'm guessing the energy in…
Tester101
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25
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1 answer
Why is geothermal heat insignificant to surface temperature?
I believe the temperature gradient underground is as high as 30°C per kilometer of depth. Thus, it is very warm only 1 kilometer below the Earth's surface. Yet, it is commonly stated that geothermal energy is insignificant to the Earth's surface…
Peter A
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25
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5 answers
During the "Ice Ages" or "Snowball Earth" times, where was all the energy?
We often seem to accept the idea that there were periods of time in which the entire surface of Earth was frozen, for the most part. This implies that there were periods of time in which the entire surface was NOT frozen over. Thus, there must have…
personjerry
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24
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4 answers
Does the strength of Earth's magnetic field influence its climate?
The strength and orientation of Earth's magnetic field varies with time.
Does this variation of the magnetic field have any influence upon climate? For example, is there any correlation between ice ages and strengthening or weakening or…
DavePhD
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24
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4 answers
Why is the temperature *still* rising?
2015 is the hottest year on record, and the average temperature continues to rise.
I don't understand why this continues, as (over the past twenty years) so much work was put into reducing Global Warming over the past 40 years, yet not only does the…
none
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24
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0 answers
How reliable were early measurements of palaeomagnetic directions?
The methodology and equipment for palaeomagnetic studies in the 1960s and 1970s was often rather primitive by today's standards. For example, Doell and Cox (1967) imply that the standard procedure for getting a palaeomagnetic direction was simply to…
Pont
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24
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1 answer
What were the tallest mountain ranges in Earth's geological past?
There have been numerous episodes of mountain building in Earth's geological history, particularly through the super-continent cycle. Many mountains and mountain ranges have been eroded, as mentioned in the similar question Determining the…
user889
24
votes
3 answers
Why is there a seasonal cycle to the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere?
I'm doing some homework on the increase of $\mathrm{CO}_2$ in the atmosphere. On one of the graphs it shows the amount of $\mathrm{CO}_2$ peaks in May and has a low in November. Why is this? Shouldn't it just be constantly going up?
Shannon Torstonson
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24
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1 answer
Do tornadoes have eyes?
In the movie Into the Storm (2014) near the end, storm chaser Pete sees the eye of a massive tornado.
In 1928 (real life), Will Keller was in his barn when a huge tornado passed through. He reported seeing an opening in the center of the tornado…
geoff
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24
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3 answers
How good were climate models of the 1990s at predicting the global temperature trends of the 2000s/2010s?
Was there a significant bias between the ensemble of climate models and the long-term temperature trends?
What about spatial patterns?
InquilineKea
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24
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1 answer
What's causing this high SO2 concentrations in Kazakhstan?
I was using this website for weather conditions around the world called Ventusky (https://www.ventusky.com/) and one of its features allows you to view SO2 concentration. I stumbled upon this high concentration of SO2 near Zhezkazgan in Kazakhstan…
gabyarg25
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24
votes
2 answers
How do oases form in the middle of the desert?
I am wondering if there are any theories about the formation of oases, and I am also curious about why an oasis can even last for a very long period of time.
I have heard that fresh water exists on the surface of the desert because of a difference…
C.Calvert
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24
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1 answer
Why did the Laki eruption of 1783 produce so much fluorine?
The Laki fissure eruption of 1783/4 in Iceland was not particularly large or explosive, but it is infamous for the large quantities of fluorine (or hydrofluoric acid) and SO2 that it produced, and the resulting local mass poisonings and Europe-wide…
winwaed
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24
votes
9 answers
Does human body temperature impact climate change?
The human body temperature is about 37 °C (99 °F), so as the population increases does this cause the Earth's temperature to rise?
user11473
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24
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1 answer
Why were both the sun and the moon red today?
Today was a normal day, except the sun and moon colors were strange. After 5pm, the sky was covered with cirrostratus-like translucent clouds and the sky was a blend of blue and grey.
Everything would be fine, except that the sun was orange between…
KKZiomek
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