The Daily Rhino
Saturday, October 29, 2005
Things you probably won't be showing your kids: Part II
.
#4 The Arctic Ice Shelf and the Polar Bear
MOST of the coastline along Russia and Canada's north is ice-free in summer, which is a distinct change from the recent past. Most people have heard a great deal about the ice caps melting - but a vicious cycle is often overlooked. The expanding Arctic Sea absorbs more heat than ice. Ice reflects a large amount of heat from the sun, but the liquid water absorbs it and slowly transfers it to the ice, actually accelerating the process. The more ice melts, the faster the remaining ice will follow suit. The melting Arctic Shelf also spells the end for the polar bear, which lives on the ice and hunt for seals whilst swimming between ice masses. Polar bears have already started to drown whilst looking for food as they have been unable to find ice to rest upon. Predictions see all the ice in the Arctic melting by the end of this century, but the polar bear could be extinct 50 years before that.
#5 The Three Gorges River Valley (China)
The massive, and I mean MASSIVE, hydro-electric power-generating dam on the Yangtze River is China's single largest feat of building since a certain wall and the biggest dam in the world. Having been started in 1997, it should be finished in five years. Behind the dam a new lake will be formed. Four hundred miles long - we're talking Great Lakes size. The gorgeous Three Gorges valley will be flooded, as will 13 cities, 140 towns and 1,300 villages. Some ancient archaeological sites, the river dolphins, sturgeon and over 6000 species of plant (57 are endangered) will also be sadly lost.
.
#4 The Arctic Ice Shelf and the Polar BearMOST of the coastline along Russia and Canada's north is ice-free in summer, which is a distinct change from the recent past. Most people have heard a great deal about the ice caps melting - but a vicious cycle is often overlooked. The expanding Arctic Sea absorbs more heat than ice. Ice reflects a large amount of heat from the sun, but the liquid water absorbs it and slowly transfers it to the ice, actually accelerating the process. The more ice melts, the faster the remaining ice will follow suit. The melting Arctic Shelf also spells the end for the polar bear, which lives on the ice and hunt for seals whilst swimming between ice masses. Polar bears have already started to drown whilst looking for food as they have been unable to find ice to rest upon. Predictions see all the ice in the Arctic melting by the end of this century, but the polar bear could be extinct 50 years before that.
#5 The Three Gorges River Valley (China)
The massive, and I mean MASSIVE, hydro-electric power-generating dam on the Yangtze River is China's single largest feat of building since a certain wall and the biggest dam in the world. Having been started in 1997, it should be finished in five years. Behind the dam a new lake will be formed. Four hundred miles long - we're talking Great Lakes size. The gorgeous Three Gorges valley will be flooded, as will 13 cities, 140 towns and 1,300 villages. Some ancient archaeological sites, the river dolphins, sturgeon and over 6000 species of plant (57 are endangered) will also be sadly lost.
Comments:
This is a great section, great concept. Of course, it also makes me cry.
Post a Comment
# quoth 
: November 10, 2005 5:24 PM
: November 10, 2005 5:24 PM
Diversity Writer of the Year
Runner-up Columnist of the Year
Nominated Features Writer of the Year
It's the Pirates
Yam Boy
Video Wallah
Shiva Soundsystem
Within / Without
Saheli Datta
Random Acts of Reality
NHS Blog Doc
The Oracle
Turbanhead
HERStory
Ethno Techno
2. Rohinplasty (series)
3. Medical student teaching (series)
4. What your stetho says about you
5. Revision: IT BRINGS DEATH
6. Things you kids won't see (series)
7. Tsunami Politics
8. Churchill: Let the fakir die
9. If it looks like a quack...
10. Ten million missing girls
An unholy trinity of segregation, suspicion and mi...
Blog Quake Day
London Bong Festival
Swingin' chicks
Things you probably won’t be showing your kids
Hear the one about the Archbishop, the Muslim and ...
Tomorrow's Newspaper?
Well I DID tell you it was the best
China comes to Town
August 2005
September 2005
October 2005
November 2005
December 2005
January 2006
February 2006
March 2006
April 2006
May 2006
June 2006
November 2006
December 2006
February 2007
May 2007
June 2007
July 2007
August 2007
October 2007
November 2007
February 2008
March 2008
April 2008
May 2008
July 2008
December 2008
-->