Season Could Lengthen due to Climate Change: Study

Allergy season may lengthen due to recent latitudinal warming in Central North America, which has increased the length of the ragweed (Ambrosia  spp.) pollen season, according to a study  published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on Monday, Feb. 21.

Ragweed pollen is a major allergen. Of the Americans allergic to pollen-producing plants, 75 percent are sensitive to ragweed, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA).

Mike Tringale, vice president of AAFA, said this equates to 35 million hay fever sufferers out of the 50 million Americans with allergies, according to Scientific American.

In the new study, the team of North American researchers found that higher latitudes are warming faster than middle latitudes in North America, causing a proportionate increase in the duration of the ragweed pollen season.

Season length mainly increased with the delay in first frost of the fall season and a longer frost free period due to latitudinal effects.

Related Articles

    * Two New Dandelion Species Discovered in Spain
    * Plants Play Larger Role Than Thought in Cleaning Air

"Overall, these data indicate a significant increase in the length of the ragweed pollen season by as much as 13–27 d at latitudes above 44°N since 1995," the study abstract reads. "If similar warming trends accompany long-term climate change, greater exposure times to seasonal allergens may occur with subsequent effects on public health."

"It's not just theoretical," said lead researcher Lewis Ziska, a plant physiologist at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's crop system and global change laboratory, according to Scientific American. "We are seeing a signal based on what in fact the [U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change] is predicting."

Tringale said a longer season is dangerous because it can tax hay fever sufferers' immune systems. Allergies can sometimes also trigger asthma attacks.

"With the longer season, with the creeping breadth of the geographic footprint of the season, and with more powerful plants producing more pollen, it's a triple threat," Tringale said, according to Scientific American. "Now you've got yourself a much wider population that could potentially be affected that might not have been affected before."

7:00 AM | 0 komentar | Read More

Are Heat Waves Related to Climate Change?

Andrew Leonard had a great post on Salon this week arguing — essentially — that liberal bloggers are wimps when it comes to connecting extreme climate events like heat waves to climate change.  By contrast, he notes, conservatives eagerly throw barbs at Al Gore any time it snows in D.C.:  climate denier James Inhofe’s grandchildren apparently built an igloo last winter and proclaimed it “Gore’s New Home.”  Leonard notes both that conservatives have been glaringly quiet during the recent record heat wave on the east coast and that liberals are, well, conservative in their response to the inevitable question about the connection between the heat wave and global warming.  He suggests a similarly smart ass twitter campaign from Gore and other Democratic leaders — lots of jokes, for instance, about political opposition to climate change regulation melting, and so forth.

I think Leonard’s exactly right and that his message ought to apply to anybody serious about climate change who is faced with the question of whether a particular weather event — especially a heat wave — is “caused” by climate change.  While we can’t, of course, absolutely prove a causal connection, the scientific community has already stated in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Fourth Assessment, global warming will “very likely” increase both the frequency and the intensity of heat waves over this century.   So an easy answer to whether something like this week’s record east coast heat is related to climate change is to say, “this is exactly the kind of weather we expect from climate change:  more heat waves with even higher temperatures.”  Moreover, as Leonard points out, 2010 has already brought us the warmest January-May 2010 period on record.

Here are a few other important pieces of information about heat waves from previous work I’ve done:

* More people die heat-related deaths in the U.S., on average, than from any other natural disaster;
  
* 52,000 Europeans died in the extreme summer heat of 2003;
  
* The areas of the country most vulnerable to heat wave deaths are not the hot parts of the country.  Areas of the country that experience temperature swings are much more vulnerable, both because air conditioning is less prevelant and because humans in consistently hot areas of the country appear to acclimate to high temperatures.
 
 * The elderly and the poor are particularly vulnerable: the elderly are more likely to have preexisting physical conditions that heat can exacerbate; the poor less likely to have or be willing to use air conditioning. Not surprisingly, being both elderly and poor is a double whammy.
  
* Scientists predict that cities in the northeast and midwest — New York, Philadelphia, Detroit, Chicago and Minneapolis — are likely to fare particuarly badly as heat waves occur more frequently due to climate change.  But places like Seattle and Portland could suffer too.
  
* And as temperatures rise, so does the availability and use of air conditioning, creating a vicious cycle in which we use more air conditioning and therefore emit more greenhouse gases which in turn contribute to climate change, which brings us more heat waves.  And so forth.

6:58 AM | 0 komentar | Read More

Be careful, Super Bacteria Threaten World

Be careful. Medical experts in Britain warned, there is a new bacteria that threaten human life. These bacteria are classified as  super  as the most powerful resistance to antibiotics though. Recently, this bacterium was found in a number of hospitals in England.

As reported by the BBC, medical experts also explained that the bacteria that can make an enzyme called NDM-1 were taken by NHS patients who previously flew out of the country such as India and Pakistan to perform cosmetic surgery.

Although currently only found about 50 cases in Britain, experts fear these bacteria will spread globally. For handling, it takes a watchful eye as well as new drugs.

A similar infection was found in the U.S., Canada, Australia and the Netherlands. No wonder then if the international investigators say that the NDM-1 could be a major threat to global health. At present, bacterial infection is spread from one patient to another hospital in the UK.

2:21 AM | 0 komentar | Read More

Preparing Now for 50 Years Ahead

The first winner for the 15-18 years age category achieved by Sumarlina origin Wringinanom SMAN 1 Gresik with his project titled Doctor River: River Health Indicators dragonfly. In the 19-24 years age category, the winner of this award won by Claudia Wijaya Windasari from the University of Surabaya with Shrimp Waste Utilization title as Hyperlipidemia Alternative medicine in tablet form. While the British Council, which also supports this award, also gave awards to Nina Nuraniyah with his project The Future of the Earth in Hand Youth Today.

Emil Salim Award 2010 is the first year this award implemented. The event was initiated by the Foundation for Sustainable Development (YPB), Technological Innovation Foundation of Indonesia, the National Council on Climate Change and the Earth Charter and supported by the British Council to give awards to young people who follow-Smart Climate Leaders program.

The program is intended for ages 15-24 years who have high activity in urban areas. The award is given to the six best project proposals related to global warming and climate change. The best of 24 proposals have been selected from 226 proposals submitted to the committee.

"Do not see the name of appreciation, but look at the purpose of the award. I feel age is advanced, 80 years, while the work was not completed. Proverbial, want to run fast but it can not, for that I accept this award on my behalf," said Emil Salim , former Minister for Administrative Reform and Bureaucratic Reform, in his speech.

Emil added, the target award mudia targeting children ages 18-25, They are, according to him, who will face this world 50 years into the future.

"Facing the world to come of this, Indonesia will not increase in size, which increase in size is the number of residents. How can accommodate 500 million people in the year 2060, for that we megharapkan you that this young," said Emil.

Then Emil explained, there are four messages that must be given to young children. First, develop the best talent, intellect, mind, physical, and spiritual God-given. Second, young children have much to learn from the universe as their teacher. Third, there is nothing eternal in this world except God and change itself.

2:20 AM | 0 komentar | Read More

Rocket Emissions Can Trigger Climate Change

Human desire to visit space can cause adverse effects. Based on new research, black carbon emitted by the rocket could affect global climate change in coming decades. The researchers publish in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, published in October 2010.

Based on research results, the soot emitted by the rocket will accumulate at an altitude of 40 km, three times higher than passenger aircraft flight altitude. Unlike passenger aircraft emitted soot on the bottom layer of the atmosphere and will soon unravel in a matter of weeks, the soot emitted by the rocket will stay at high atmospheric layers, namely the stratosphere.

Retained soot will block out the sunlight that enters the earth. In the end, it will affect the global climate change. "The response on climate change on black carbon emissions in a relatively small number of very surprising," said Michael Mills, a researcher from the National Center of Atmospheric Research (NCAR), Boulder, Colorado. Emissions at one point will affect the climate in a wide range.

Using a computer model of the Earth's atmosphere, the scientists proved that the temperature of the earth that is under a layer of soot will be reduced by 0.7 degrees Celsius, while the Antarctic (south pole) will heat up 0.8 degrees Celsius.

Meanwhile, the equatorial region would lose 1 percent of ozone and polar regions will have an additional ozone by 10 percent. Global effect of that is the increasing number that caught the sun's heat in the atmosphere. That means, the soot is contributing to global warming.

Previous studies by Martin Ross of the Aerospace Corporation in Los Angeles, California in 2009 revealed that the soot is dangerous because a direct rocket released in the stratosphere, where ozone is located. Through this study, he hopes to coordinate the scientists, engineers and business owners for space flight rocket can discuss this.

2:19 AM | 0 komentar | Read More

Climate Reform aground

United States President Barack Obama admitted that the victory of the Republican Party in  general  elections  on Tuesday (02/11/2010) cause he did not have enough votes for legislation mengegolkan ambitious climate change in the U.S. Congress. Obama said that several members of parliament who lost his seat in parliament in part to support legislation  to address  greenhouse  gas emissions the U.S.. Parliament has passed laws in 2009 but it did not gain enough support in the Senate. Obama said both political parties agree that the United States needs a better energy policy.

2:18 AM | 0 komentar | Read More

Climate Change Kills 21,000 People

The report, issued at the time that coincided with the start of international talks to tackle climate change in Cancun, Mexico, called the flooding in Pakistan, fires and heat waves in Russia, and increasing sea levels in Tuvalu in the Pacific island countries as an example of the consequences off from climate change.

New round of UN climate talks that will approve a series of limited issue that divides the economies of rich and poor, especially in funding, tropical rain forest preservation, and preparation for a warming world. The talks will also seek to set targets to curb greenhouse gas emissions.

Climate talks in Copenhagen last year ended with a non-binding global treaty, and hope-haraan in talks this year low. U.S. lawmakers can not possibly be considering legislation to create a system of "cap-and-trade" to curb global warming emissions.

Oxfam suggested the report as evidence that quick action is needed to mitigate and adapt to climate change. "Countries should identify new ways to collect billions of dollars are needed, such as collect taxes from international aviation and shipping emissions are not regulated and agree on the Financial Transaction Tax in the banks. The sooner the money is sent, it is cheaper to tackle climate change , "said Tim Gore, author of the report, in a statement.

The events in 2010 in line with expectations detailed in a 2007 report by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which says more severe heat waves, forest fires, floods and rising sea level is possible.

Oxfam said the floods in Pakistan has submerged about one-fifth of the country, killing 2,000 people and affecting 20 million people, spreading disease and destroying homes, crops, roads and schools, with damage amounting to approximately 9.7 billion U.S. dollars.

In Russia, Oxfam said the air temperature exceeded the long-term average by 14 degrees Fahrenheit (7.8 degrees Celsius) in July and August, and daily mortality in Moscow doubled to 700. Approximately 26,000 forest fires destroyed 26 percent of wheat crops, prompting a ban on exports.

Citizens of Tuvalu, located lowlands, where the sea rose by about 0.2 inches (5 to 6 mm) each year, proved difficult to improve staple crops because salt water seeping into the fields of agriculture, says Oxfam. As a result, they are relying on imported-food cuisine that has been processed, according to the report.

2:16 AM | 0 komentar | Read More

3 Disease Threat of Climate Change

Some scientists are funded by The Ocean and Human Health Initiative of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will identify the risk of disease due to global warming. The result is as follows.

1. Seafood contamination by toxic algae

Red algae that causes dead zones in the ocean is growing rapidly due to global warming, especially in north America. This was disclosed by Stephanie Moore of NOAA. Algae Alexandrium catenella produce toxins that can contaminate foods derived from the sea and lead to paralysis, even death, although rare, in humans.

By calculating the water temperature and the increase in global temperatures, Moore and colleagues at the University of Washington describes how the algae can grow rapidly. "The season bloom of toxic algae growing longer and the number of algae blooms grew each season," said Moore. "Now, the season algae blooms for two months, but in years to come, blooming period will be increased to three months," he added.

2. The explosion of harmful bacteria

Climate change led to a humid region would be more humid, while the dry areas drier. This phenomenon will cause the dust flying and usually will end up in the ocean. Dust-dust accelerate the development of harmful bacteria and the bacteria ends up in seafood.

Erin Lipp and Jason Westrich from the University of Georgia have found that the desert of Morocco may accelerate the proliferation of Vibrio, a type of marine bacteria. The test is done by inserting dust from Morocco to sea water in Florida. As a result, the growth of Vibrio increase by 10 to 1,000-fold. Scientists found that the iron contained in dust that lead to proliferation.

3. Disposal systems contaminate drinking water

Sandra McLellan of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee has been observed that the increase in rainfall affect the exhaust pipe systems around the Great Lakes. In Wisconsin, population growth forced the addition of the capacity of the existing exhaust pipe system. In the event of a storm, the water will overflow and flood the disposal of the lake. Of course, this discharge water contains bacteria and viruses.

Only with a 4.3 cm rainfall, direct water overflow and flooded rivers. McLellan said the next half century, the volume of rainfall will increase to 20 percent. "It is not climate change that resulted in new problems. We had problem with this. However, when we want to prevent this bad scenario that happens. We've terdahului by global warming and population growth

2:14 AM | 0 komentar | Read More