2020 is an extraordinary year, and it is also a year full of disasters. In May of this year, the Arctic ushered in a historically rare high temperature of 38 degrees, and there was also an explosion of methane. After entering July, the impact of the high temperature caused the coastal areas to once again encounter a rare continuous heavy rainfall. In addition, there are other natural disasters that are constantly unfolding.
Through the continuous changes in climate in recent years, we can see that the ecology of the earth is deteriorating at an accelerating rate. Some time ago, scientists brought up the “climate tipping point” again. The concept of “climate tipping point” was published in the journal Nature a long time ago. Scientists say: There are 15 “climate tipping points” on the earth, which together maintain the stability of the earth’s ecosystem.
If these 15 “climate tipping points” are all activated, the ecology of the earth will be irreversible and will deteriorate rapidly, until it becomes a desolate and unviable planet. According to the latest opinion published by scientists some time ago, 9 of the 15 “climate tipping points” have been activated, which shows how much the planet’s ecology has deteriorated.
One of the main reasons for the continuous activation of these “climate tipping points” is that the earth’s temperature is constantly rising. There are two main reasons for the continuous rise of the earth’s temperature. One reason is the rapid development of human industry and the large amount of greenhouse gases brought by it, and the other reason is the continuous increase in solar activity.
To solve the problem of the rising temperature of the earth, in fact, we do not have a very good way. One reason is that the rapid development of industry cannot be stopped. That is the core of the continuous upgrading of human civilization. We know that the rapid development of industry will bring continuous damage to the ecology of the earth, but we cannot stop it.
As for the sun’s activity, we cannot influence and change it. Therefore, many people expect the sun’s activity to be weakened so that the earth can breathe a sigh of relief. Will the sun’s activity weaken? According to a study by scientists, solar activity may reach its most active state in 2020 and then gradually decrease. After 2030, solar activity will be reduced to about 60% of the current level.
The strength of solar activity has a great impact on the earth, and I believe everyone knows the ice age. In the long years of the earth, there have been many ice ages. The duration of the ice age is very long, ranging from tens of thousands of years to millions of years. Once the Great Ice Age arrives, the earth will usher in a mass extinction.
The Little Ice Age has more times, and its duration is relatively short, only a few dozen time, and the temperature drop will not be particularly large. In the 5000 years of human civilization, there have been many Little Ice Ages, and the occurrence of the Little Ice Age is basically related to the activities of sunspots. When the sun’s activity continues to weaken and enter the dormant period, the earth will usher in a small ice age.
Someone may ask: How are such forecast data derived? In fact, it is based on predecessors’ observations of solar activity for hundreds of years. The sun is the core of the solar system, a huge star, the ecology of the earth, the mother of life. Since ancient times, humans have actually begun to observe and study the sun, but at that time more people deified the sun.
As mankind enters the age of science and technology, and after we have advanced observation equipment, the observation of solar activity has entered a new stage. Through continuous observation and research by astronomers, it is found that the sun’s activities exhibit a very regular periodicity, that is, there will be more violent activities about every 11 years or so. Therefore, 11 years are also considered as the solar activity cycle.
Researchers from the Royal Astronomical Society combined the solar activity cycle with the current solar activity, using computer modeling and analysis, and came up with results that surprised the researchers. The current solar activity is actually in a relatively active state, so the earth receives more photons, and the impact is that the temperature of the earth continues to rise.
Such an active state may reach its peak in 2022 and then gradually decline. After 2030, the sun may enter a “dormant period”. Once the sun enters a dormant period, in theory, the earth will usher in the Little Ice Age. . There will be a significant drop in temperature. Seeing here, many people are worried that once the earth enters the small ice age for decades, will the survival of human beings be greatly affected?
In fact, such worries are unnecessary. In the history of human civilization, every Little Ice Age has had a great impact on the survival of mankind. The reason for this is that the cold environment will reduce food production and leave a large number of people hungry. But our current situation is completely different from ancient times.
First of all, the earth’s temperature is much higher than before the Industrial Revolution. The winter in the past was very cold. I believe that many people born in the 70s and 80s living in the north have a deep understanding of it. The winter in the north during childhood was really very cold. , And now the northern winter is a warm season. Even if there is a cold climate, the duration is very short, and the temperature drop is far from comparable to that of decades ago.
Summer is also far less hot than it is now. Through these comparisons, we can see that the earth’s temperature has indeed risen a lot now. Therefore, when the sun enters the dormant period, it is a great thing for the earth’s environment. At that time, the earth was equivalent to installing a climate air conditioner. Although the temperature would drop, it made us feel very comfortable.
Decades of cooling may bring the earth’s temperature back to before the industrial revolution, so that the earth’s ecological crisis will be lifted instead. On the other hand, although the continuous drop in temperature will bring about a certain reduction in food production, in today’s technological era, we have many ways to prevent people from going hungry.
It can be seen that even after 10 years, solar activity enters a dormant period, and the temperature of the earth begins to drop continuously, and the impact on humans is relatively small. For the earth’s ecological environment, it will be a great benefit. Therefore, we should not worry about the small ice age that the sun may enter the dormant period, but rather worry about whether the prediction of the sun entering the dormant period that scientists predict after 2030 can be realized.
If it is realized, the ecology of the earth will get huge benefits, and humans will also get huge benefits. But if it is not realized, the earth’s ecological environment will be worse than it is now. Of course, these are all opportunities and risks that mankind will inevitably encounter on the road of future scientific and technological development. How human civilization makes decisions determines the destiny of mankind.