Sunspots could soon disappear for decades!

[Analog]

(PhysOrg.com) -- Sunspot formation is triggered by a magnetic field, which scientists say is steadily declining. They predict that by 2016 there may be no remaining sunspots, and the sun may stay spotless for several decades. The last time the sunspots disappeared altogether was in the 17th and 18th century, and coincided with a lengthy cool period on the planet known as the Little Ice Age.

Sunspots are regions of electrically charged, superheated gas (plasma) on the surface of the sun, formed when upwellings of the magnetic field trap the ionized plasma. The magnetic field prevents the gas from releasing the heat and sinking back below the sun’s surface. These areas are somewhat cooler than the surrounding sun surface and so appear to us as dark spots.
Sunspots have been observed at least since the early 17th century, and they are known to follow an 11 year cycle from solar maximum to solar minimum. The solar minimum usually lasts around 16 months, but the current minimum has already lasted 26 months, which is the longest minimum in a hundred years.

http://www.physorg.com/news203746768.html

 

[Numenorean]

But....global warming!

 

[hclarkjr]

But....global warming!

damn, you beat me to it!!!

 

[CZroe]

It's about time. Sunspots have been historically over-active in recent years.

 

[Analog]

Ban sun spots!

 

[Sea Moose]

fuck you sunspots

 

[alkemyst]

damn, you beat me to it!!!

Global 'warming' can affect the extremes at both ends.

Not only did we have our coldest winter this past year, but it's been our hottest summer now in S. Florida.

 

[Numenorean]

Global 'warming' can affect the extremes at both ends.

Not only did we have our coldest winter this past year, but it's been our hottest summer now in S. Florida.

I was in Florida this past winter. It was pretty funny. It was like shorts weather and people were wearing parkas and shit.

 

[Yeem]

Are people still using the phrase 'global warming'? It's climate change.

In 50 years summers will be 50C average and winters will be -30C average. Yay for us toying with rubber strings we don't understand.

 

[SlitheryDee]

That sounds delightful.

As for the global warming debate; a warming trend has been clearly in evidence in my area at least for my entire life. Summers have gotten steadily more miserable every year I can remember. I'm seriously excited at the prospect of a reversal of that trend.

 

[Cuda1447]

OMFG, Climate Change. The climate.... changes? Who the fuck woulda guessed that?!?!? Its weird too, cause the climate only started changing in the last 50 or so years. OH wait....

Global Warming, Climate Change, Global Cooling. (Acid rain is real though) Its all a bunch of bullshit. The human race has such a small impact on our weather that its not worth even thinking about. Things are going to change over time. You just gotta roll with it.

 

[Bateluer]

I was in Florida this past winter. It was pretty funny. It was like shorts weather and people were wearing parkas and shit.

You must have very thick skin.

I was in Orlando last January, it was 19F and sleeting freezing rain at the start of the race. I don't think it got warmer than 50F the entire time I was there, and once the sun went down, the temp dropped into the 30s again. I don't blame people for wearing parkas and winter clothing. Wish I'd brought some.

 

[Ruptga]

Sooooooooo... are we gonna die?

 

[dainthomas]

That sounds delightful.

As for the global warming debate; a warming trend has been clearly in evidence in my area at least for my entire life. Summers have gotten steadily more miserable every year I can remember.

I would say the more likely scenario is that you're turning into a pansy.

 

[destrekor]

Well this could be fun.

We might just be screwed if we first find that this will be the most active solar maximum in a long time, and then that solar maximum is followed by a lengthy period of inactivity.

If all of our electronics fry due to a nasty series of X-class flares with direct CMEs, and then we have a decade of solar inactivity... our winters are going to smell like rotting humans.
Lovely.

I'm down for it.

 

[Eli]

But, but... what about 2012? :sneaky:

 

[destrekor]

But, but... what about 2012? :sneaky:

Solar Maximum, baby! All our electronics are gonna fry! :twisted:

 

[Yeem]

Solar Maximum, baby! All our electronics are gonna fry! :twisted:

Don't forget the zombies!

 

[SlitheryDee]

I would say the more likely scenario is that you're turning into a pansy.

Could be. Maybe I just need to move north.

 

[preslove]

...fucking acid rain. Its all a bunch of bullshit.

OOOhhhh fun. An easy climate change denier who is stupid enough to swallow his foot up to his knee.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acid_rain

Acid rain is very, very real phenomenon, moron, and was practically eliminated in the US by the reduction of sulfur dioxide and Nitrogen oxides.

Is it really so far fetched an idea that putting millions of pounds of a pollutant into the air can cause major changes into the climate?

 

[drebo]

I love it when people try to deny a link between solar activity and our climates here on Earth.

When the sun is hotter, we are hotter. When the sun is cooler, we are cooler. Maybe that's why it's been getting warmer since the last time the sun was noticably cooler.

 

[PsiStar]

This can't be good. The sunspots MUST be saved! We should start sending nukes at the sun.

Tell Al Gore and pray.

 

[coloumb]

Oooo So I should go buy a shotgun and stock up on ammo that's effective against zombies? I should probably grab a few bats while I'm at it as well...

 

[Caribbean Geek]

OOOhhhh fun. An easy climate change denier who is stupid enough to swallow his foot up to his knee.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acid_rain

Acid rain is very, very real phenomenon, moron, and was practically eliminated in the US by the reduction of sulfur dioxide and Nitrogen oxides.

Is it really so far fetched an idea that putting millions of pounds of a pollutant into the air can cause major changes into the climate?

Its not, Acid Rain also happened in Mexico a couple of years ago affecting many historical buildings.

Solar Maximum, baby! All our electronics are gonna fry! :twisted:

A life without electronics? That must be boring, let just go back to the forests and live like amazonic tribes!!

 

[PokerGuy]

Surely Al Gore can save us from this disaster, all we need to do is increase the size of government and send him our money. That's they key to our survival.