Some like it hot - Glaciers don't

[smalltalk]

The Society for Ecologic Research did some remakes of old postcards of glaciers in the Alps.

http://www.gletscherarchiv.de/index.htm

Pasterze 1900 AD/2000 AD




1940/2003




Hornkees und Waxeggkees 1905




Tuxerferner, Friesenbergkees 1923




Mittelbergferner (before 1943)




Gepatschferner 1904




Palügletscher 1930




Morteratsch 1911




Steingletscher




Rhonegletscher ~1910




1930




~1905




Walliser Fieschergletscher




Mer de Glace (before 1916)




Madatschferner (Ortler)

 

[Gogf]

Seems like that should exceed the image limit .

Anyway, I think there is a natural cycle of global warming going on, that humans surely aren't helping (ie stopping). However, I don't believe that industrialized society is directly causing the melting of glaciers (although it could be contributing to it).

 

[Sanaz]

Those pictures are amazing. I don't speak German so couldn't read the web site. The glaciers have been retreating worldwide for more than a hundred years, there's just not as much photographic evidence to compare 1800 to 1900. But in mountaineering writings, you can see the evidence. I have no idea of the overall effect of this, but it can't be good given the amount of fresh drinking water held in the glaciers and ice caps, and the way they hold water throughout the warm months and let it down to farm areas slowly. I would guess that correlating studies show dry seasons starting earlier in the year in areas dependent on snow pack for water, but I have never checked this out.

 

[Yaniv]

Global warming is happening, but two facts about the above pictures:

1: Who knows what season the above pictures were taken (the past picture could have been taken in while the present in summer)

2: Some of the past pictures are drawings, thus can't be accuratly compared with the present ones.

 

[Narz]

Very purty. Wouldn't want to get stuck out in the midst of 'em though.

 

[smalltalk]

@Yaniv: To me it looks like the photographs were taken in summer or early autumn. In winter, everything would be covered with snow, also at those altitudes, you usually have snow until May.

And I don't think they are drawings, but some are hand-colored photographs.

@Narz: What does "purty" mean?

 

[Plexus]

And 20,000 years ago, Michigan was completely covered by ice and one could walk from Russia to Tierra del Fuego.

Edit:
@Smalltalk- 'purty' is a slang form of 'pretty'.

 

[smalltalk]

Yeah, but the change didn't occure in a mere hundred years.

 

[Akka]

Anyway, I think there is a natural cycle of global warming going on, that humans surely aren't helping (ie stopping). However, I don't believe that industrialized society is directly causing the melting of glaciers (although it could be contributing to it).

Yeah, because climatic cycles happens in 50 years and the perfect correlation with increased pollution is a total coincidence

 

[stormbind]

Wow. They are really interesting!

It's really bad to see how we have messed up the world, and wrecked the climate, and still won't take the matters seriously!

 

[vonork]

1: Who knows what season the above pictures were taken (the past picture could have been taken in while the present in summer)QUOTE]

Does not matter, the difference would only be the amount of snow, not the glaciers(not an visible big one at least), they don't melt away and build up every year.

 

[Sanaz]

Yeah, because climatic cycles happens in 50 years and the perfect correlation with increased pollution is a total coincidence

I have never seen convincing proof that it is "total" coincidence"

It's really bad to see how we have messed up the world, and wrecked the climate, and still won't take the matters seriously!

I have also never seen convincing proof that we have had anything to do with this.

 

[Akka]

I have never seen convincing proof that it is "total" coincidence

That was my point.

 

[Sanaz]

That was my point.

Ah, I missed the rolly eyes.