NASA scientist gives fresh(?) perspective on global warming

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

The chief scientist for NASA Langley Research Center, Dennis Bushnell, spoke to students and faculty Monday about the negligence of the public about what should be done about global warming.

"Most people who don't think that a climate change is happening are looking at the daily change of temperatures and the history of it, too," Bushnell said.

The scientist, who has worked at NASA for 47 years, spoke about the future of climate and energy and some possibilities of what America should do and why nothing has been done yet.

Bushnell said the population is continually growing so fast that humans are overpopulating the world. He said this serious problem is causing global warming to speed up and overheat the earth.

"[Everyday people] have no idea what is going on, and it is getting worse,"Bushnell said.

He said the world temperature and the sea levels will rise, but only humans can control when this phenomenon will occur.

Bushnell lectured briefly about the earth's history of extinctions.

He mentioned the five previous major extinctions that have occurred: one because of an asteroid and the other four because of some type of global warming.

One of these extinctions, the Permian, caused the largest population extinction of 90 percent. "Currently many of the world's major rivers are glacier-fed, and in a couple of those will dry up soon, thus effecting one-sixth of world population," Bushnell said.

Bushnell said the main reasons why humans should be looking into other forms of energy are because of global warming, the rising price of petroleum, the effect petroleum has had on national security, current economics and personal economics.

Bushnell's suggestion for the best alternate form of energy relies on biomass and biofuels.

He said biomass can be used for petroleum and help utilize the land people do not use and conserve things people do use.

Bushnell's example included the big problem with fresh water scarcity and that people currently use fresh water for agriculture when salt water should be used because of its nutrients.

Switching to salt water would save 68 percent of the fresh water.

Bushnell also said that with the salt water, algae could grown in which can also become an alternative use for fuel.

"We can use and grow the algae from the Great Salt Lake to use for petroleum," Bushnell said.

Although Bushnell provided many ideas for alternative sources of energy, he said the problem with global warming is because of the people.

"People don't want to change; we really don't want to change. We know how to do it technically but we refused to do it," Bushnell said. "It's a people problem."

Waco senior Matthew Moldovan said the presentation was good and informational, but he did have objections.

"I agreed with his presentation in the fact that global warming is happening, but didn't agree with his predictions and some of his thoughts," Moldovan said. "I felt he went a little overboard with some things."

When asked how we can help the world individually, Bushnell suggested that we cannot do anything other than tell people about the problem.

"My suggestion is to educate the population because if more people know the facts and the truth, then they can force the government to look into it and do something about it," Bushnell said.

Some students were overwhelmed with the presentation, including Pittsburg graduate student Sean Conroy.

"I am interested to know what his beliefs are, religiously, because he seems to me that he is a very science-focused person who takes his material a little seriously to where I think he would get caught up in his research," Conroy said.

http://www.baylor.edu/lariat/news.php?acti...amp;story=69196

[scandal 951]

Bushnell's example included the big problem with fresh water scarcity and that people currently use fresh water for agriculture when salt water should be used because of its nutrients.

Switching to salt water would save 68 percent of the fresh water.

Interesting.. but... using salt water for agriculture? Really????

Actually, maybe not so crazy. Do a Google, come up with some interesting hits.

E.g. http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2008/12/saltwatercrops/