Are we killing ourselves?

We are all aware of the mounting evidence that our activities are changing the planet on a global scale and at a possibly irreversible rate. We are affecting everything from a small scale on the level of the gene to a large scale on the level of ecosystems. By doing so we are not only threatening the physical, chemical and biological services of these ecosystems but also our own security in terms of food production and oxygen production.

Some scientists think that we are on the edge of a massive catastrophe. According to an interview on Science Daily with Andrew Brierley, and Michael Kingsford from St Andrews University and James Cook University respectively man-made carbon emissions are now above the ‘worst case’ scenario envisioned by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), are we on the tipping point, or can we yet still save ourselves?

We would really love to hear what your views are on global climate change? Are these changes irreversible? What can we do to reverse or slow down these changes? What are YOUR views?

Join us on our forum to discuss this latest topic and find out more from: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090729092538.htm

http://globalwarmingissues.wordpress.com/

http://www.globalissues.org/issue/178/climate-change-and-global-warming

Image by: Plumbago

Killer squids?

Marine Biology News

Many people have feared the Humboldt squid from times when sailor’s myths describe giant ‘man-eating’ monsters from the deep attacking them at sea. In recent world press there have been reports of SCUBA divers in San Diego being harassed by a large group of these squid – panicked; one diver described her ordeal by stating that she did not think that she would survive as it tried to grab her with its tentacles.

Since this time, squid biologist Brad Seibel from Rhode Island University has commented by saying that such reports serve to do nothing but unnecessarily alarm people, he claims that their man-eating prowess is seriously overblown.

Mexican local tour operators allegedly exaggerate the dangerous nature of these marine animals which adds to this problem. Apparently these operators insist that there customers wear armour and put chum in the water to excite the squid.

We would really love to hear what your views are on these squid? Are they as dangerous as some people claim or are they misunderstood?

Join us on our forum to discuss this latest topic and find out more from: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090723113516.htm and http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8155417.stm.

Image by: Hans Hillewaert

For more information go to www.beyondbluemag.com