Ohio State University researchers have analyzed cylindrical specimens of ice taken from a 20,000-foot high glacier in the Himalayas. Their finding: this past century has been the hottest period in the past 1000 years. Similar glacier shrinkage has been found in South America and Africa. Aerial photos of Mt. Kilimanjaro show a 75% loss of ice mass when compared with maps made in 1912. In their report in the 9/15/2000 issue of "Science," a professional journal, the scientists called the warming "dramatic" and warned of potential water depletion in the rivers and streams that supply the inhabited valleys below. Also in the last month a meeting was held in The Hague to attempt to iron-out differences over implementation of the Kyoto Protocols of 1997. The U.S. wants increased pollution rights for its still-extensive forests. No agreement was reached. A 'Nature' Magazine article published last month reveals problems in the science behind the U.S. position. One would think any meansure that would encourage countries to preserve their forests should help the global excess of carbon in the atmosphere. (Trees take-in Carbon Dioxide and release the Oxygen back to the atmosphere.) Unfortunately, the soil from which the trees grow is becoming saturated with carbon. Sometime within the next 50 years, that soil will lose its ability to absorb further carbon and will become merely another source of carbon release into the air. Back to OSG News December 2000 Table of Contents Back to OSG News List of Issues Back to Master Magazine List © Copyright 2000 by Operational Studies Group. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com