Off Topic

marduk · Post by **marduk** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 3:41 pm

if they were liquid
ok
so how do we melt them
its been 7000 years of civilisation and we have barely scratched ours

Digit · Post by **Digit** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 3:43 pm

Lots of CO2?

Beagle · Post by **Beagle** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 3:48 pm

http://www.geocities.com/marsterraformi ... rming.html

The idea in terraforming Mars is the following:
Melting the southern polar icecap to release large quantities of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which, because of the greenhouse effect of this gas, will heat up the planet, maybe enough to release more carbon dioxide from the regolith and maybe even melting the northern polar icecap (Underground waterdepots would take a very long time to evaporate to get onto the surface of Mars) without extra heating.
When the step of enriching the atmosphere with carbon dioxide (and nitrogen) and the surface with water is achieved, the second step starts: Enriching the atmosphere in oxygen (and nitrogen).
This is simply done by releasing plants that can survive on Mars' still rude climate. Some genetical engineering might be necessary to achieve this step.

Digit · Post by **Digit** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 3:51 pm

I would think that genetic engineering would be essential Beag otherwise it could take millenia.

Beagle · Post by **Beagle** » Sun Mar 18, 2007 4:18 pm

The Big Ten conference got walloped today.

Forum Monk · Post by **Forum Monk** » Sun Mar 18, 2007 4:48 pm

This is a pretty interesting short video.
http://www.break.com/index/shift_happens.html

Beagle · Post by **Beagle** » Sun Mar 18, 2007 4:55 pm

That was very good Monk. Good music too.

Post by **Minimalist** » Sun Mar 18, 2007 5:02 pm

they would blanket the planet in 36 feet of water if they were liquid, scientists said on Thursday.

But not quite enough to cover the mountain tops, huh?

Forum Monk · Post by **Forum Monk** » Sun Mar 18, 2007 5:09 pm

I suppose, you and Arch already debated the vapor canopy theory.
Yeah...I don't really believe it either.

Post by **Minimalist** » Sun Mar 18, 2007 5:22 pm

Ad nauseam, Monk....ad nauseam.

Digit · Post by **Digit** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 6:08 am

Liked the video Monk, but I take issue with one suggestion, and that is that China is set to become the largest English speaking nation in the world.
Who are they kidding? Have you ever tried to follow a set of 'English' instructions in something made in China?

Forum Monk · Post by **Forum Monk** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 6:46 am

Real men don't read the instructions Digit.

Post by **Minimalist** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 10:13 am

Forum Monk wrote:

Real men don't read the instructions Digit.

Only when all else fails.

Beagle · Post by **Beagle** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 1:23 pm

http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2007 ... u-sun.html

Some Inuit say they hope scientists coming to Nunavut for research as part of International Polar Year can help shed light on changes they're seeing in the sun — particularly, how it's been showing up more often in the usually always-dark winters.

For the past several years, residents in the High Arctic have observed that the winter dark season is ending earlier than usual, with the sun coming up at a different place than what people are used to seeing.

Here's one for you astronomy types.

From the Daily Grail

Digit · Post by **Digit** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 1:28 pm

Off the top of my head there can only be one reason for that! The Earth's tilt! Any one think of an alternative?

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