Global Warming

What Is Global Warming?

What is global warming and how did it start. The effects aren't pretty, polar ice caps are melting, more floods and sea levels are increasing. We have put ourselves  in danger and the planet we live on. We could cause our own extinction!

What is the cause of global warming? New technology, cars and the increase of factories, all produce greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gases are gases like carbon dioxide, water vapor, condensation and fossil fuel emissions.  Only 20-30% of these gases escape from the carbon sheet. The carbon sheet is like a blanket that covers Earth. With the increase of greenhouse gases too much energy is being trapped underneath the blanket. The extra heat is going nowhere but back down to Earth causing the world to heat up.

Heat rising is a very serious role in global warming. It’s most concentrated in the Arctic and Antarctica. The temperature is up 3.9 because of our doings. We have endangered polarbears and it’s getting hard for polarbears to find solid ice. The temp has gone up 5 degrees and people are finding it more common for storms and floods.

Climate change affects antarctic wildlife which is under threat and the most endangered is the polar bears. Their population is down 1/4, if we don’t stop we can cause extinction. The worst thing about global warming is the polar ice caps melting which means the sea levels will rise. The melting rate of ice has accelerated 7%. Now the ice is starting to melt three weeks earlier and winter is shorter and summer is longer.

If we don’t stop the increase of greenhouse gases we might create an unstable hot world. Or planet will change if we don’t act on this problem. The Earth’s fate is lying in our hands.                         

By Lex

Aurora Australis

Aurora Australis

Have you ever witnessed nature’s light show  dancing across the night sky?  This colourful display is often referred to, and known as ‘The Southern Lights’.   What causes this spectacular illumination , Aurora Australis?

Firstly, the solar flares get shot off the sun in extreme speed. The sun is always active so solar flares are quite common. This solar flare ejects electrons, ions and atoms out into our solar system. These ions, atoms and electrons travel through space.

When they reach Earth,  the Earth’s magnetic field  stops these particles as it acts as an invisible shield. Because of the shape of the magnetic field all these atoms and ions get  directed  to the Southern and Northern poles.  As they follow the magnetic field they speed up and release energy in the form of light.

The colours are reported to be pink, blue, purple and red.  The different types of atoms determines the differing colours of the aurora.