316 The Poetry of Physics and The Physics of Poetry
surface and contribute to the warming of the planet. It is agreed upon by
the overwhelming majority of the science community that the recent
elevation of the level of these gases since the beginning of the Industrial
Revolution is due to the activities of humankind. The greenhouse effect
is believed to be the cause not only the warming of the planet but also the
rapid increase in extreme weather and forest and brush fires.
The scariest possibility is that of a runaway green house effect like
the one that occurred on the planet Venus. As our polar caps melt they
release trapped carbon dioxide CO 2 in the permafrost as well as methane,
which is 16 times more effective than CO 2 as a green house gas. As the
polar caps melt less sunlight is reflected back into space. As the
temperature of the Earth and hence the oceans increase the oceans can
carry less CO 2. Consider how the gas leaves a glass of soda pop as you
heat it. These three effects will increase the temperature of the planet
melting more of the polar cap and heating the oceans more releasing still
more CO 2 and methane and one then has the possibility a runaway
greenhouse effect that cannot be reversed. Scientists are not sure how
much more of a temperature increase would be the tipping point for a
runaway greenhouse effect, but for sure we are on the wrong trajectory.
We have to take global warming even more seriously to avoid a global
catastrophe.