Global Warming: Long term observations yield unsurprising results

[Godscreated]

Thanks to both of you. I do believe in global warming, it's obvious. With CO2 rising into the atmosphere and the energy trap above the earth keeps it's heat from the surface, I understand the trapping effect, but with all the surface area of the atmosphere against a very cold space it seems the heat would travel into space. Energy is not bound to the earth like other things and can travel into space, heat being one form of energy why wouldn't it travel into space, heat does move to cold not visa versa.

GC

(emphasis iis mine)

While space is quite cold (~4 deg. K), vacuum is also a very efficient insulator. It's really hard to transfer heat without a medium.

True I should have known that.

GC

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While space is quite cold (~4 deg. K), vacuum is also a very efficient insulator. It's really hard to transfer heat without a medium.

Space is not actually cold. As you say, it is a vaccum lacking in sufficient medium to be cold. Anything without heat sources would be cold due to radiation of any residual heat that it might have had.

The lack of medium is what keeps space from warming, and a vacuum can contain matter. Space being a vacuum void of much matter, compared to it's size, can not absorb much heat as SOW said. The matter would have to be dense and very close to the atmosphere, actually against it, gravity takes care of that, and if the matter was dense enough to absorb the heat there wouldn't be a vacuum.

GC

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Most believe it's happening

Wow, no. Views of climate change among fundamentalists is utterly dismal, no idea where you're getting the idea that it's only a handful of wackos.

http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/11...ngelicals/

http://publicreligion.org/research/2014/...y-science/

http://www.randalolson.com/2014/09/13/wh...e-deniers/

The idea comes from my discussions with them, global warming is certain, why isn't such a certainty. We've had cooler summers and colder winters here the last couple of years, making it seem global warming isn't true, so those who do not want to look at the evidence make ridiculous claims. Polar ice doesn't melt at the rate it has without something happening, I personally think it's probably a little of many purposed ideas. I think this is far to large for man to get a handle on it, our knowledge isn't quite advanced enough yet.

GC