October 28th, 2007

Not by Fire but by Ice

Nature's Rampage Might Signal Start of New Ice Age

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Seattle, Washington: The recent rash of record-breaking blizzards, record-breaking hurricanes, and record-breaking floods—the greatest in more than 500 years (since before Christopher Columbus)—is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg, says science writer Robert W. Felix.

The worst is yet to come, says Felix, author of NOT BY FIRE BUT BY ICE: Discover What Killed the Dinosaurs . . . and Why it Could Soon Kill Us. The next ice age could begin any day.

Ice ages begin or end abruptly every 11,500 years. They alternate. It's a naturally recurring cycle, a dependable, predictable, natural cycle. (See Pacemaker of the Ice Ages chart.)

This little-known—but undeniable—cycle has struck like clockwork for millions of years. And it's about to strike again, says the Seattle researcher. The last ice age ended almost exactly 11,500 years ago, which means that the next ice age could begin any day.

And when it begins, it will begin with a bang.

Until recently, scientists assumed that ice ages began slowly. New studies show, however, that all previous ice ages began abruptly. Many ice ages began catastrophically, with the climate shifting from periods of warmth such as today's to full-blown glacial severity in less than 20 years.

The next ice age should begin just as quickly.

But what about global warming?

Global warming (which is really ocean warming) is caused by the same natural cycle that causes ice ages, says Felix. Indeed, many ice ages began when temperatures were warmer than today. Conditions are perfect—right now—to cause an ice age. All we need is more moisture.

And we’re getting it. The number of what scientists call extreme precipitation events—major blizzards and heavy rainstorms—has increased almost 20 percent just since 1970.

Felix has done more than 300 radio interviews around the US and Canada, including Kansas City, Tulsa, Minneapolis, Hartford, Baltimore, Boston, Tacoma, Vancouver, Calgary, Seattle, Salt Lake City, Colorado Springs, Winnipeg, San Francisco, Montreal, and Washington, D.C.

NOT BY FIRE BUT BY ICE

Discover What Killed the Dinosaurs

. . . and Why it Could Soon Kill Us

Robert W. Felix