Thursday, December 26, 2019

The Effects Of Pesticides On The Human Body - 1758 Words

Food is one of the most essential things that the human body needs in order to function and coordinate to its fullest potential. There are many sources of food and while some people choose to have different dietary lifestyles, majority of them gather their food from different grocery stores, farmers markets, and/or personal cultivations. Diet plays a major role when it comes to food choices and today there are more food choices than ever before. The variety of choices can sometimes confuse the consumer in the choosing the healthiest product. However, the recent introduction of organic products seems like the right alternative to the high processing meats and high doses of pesticides in conventional fruit and vegetables. Yet, these products will cost up to three times more than regular products. Over the past couple of years the public has become more aware of the dangers and consequences that pesticides do to the body. Pesticides have been used on crops and land in order to prevent d amage to the production of crops. While pesticide usage is nothing new to the public, the evolution of such has made almost impossible for the standard human to understand the complexity of the chemical bonds. The continuous adaptations of pest to the chemical composition of the pesticides have increased the need for stronger and complex chemical bonds. Unfortunately for the public the stronger the pesticide the higher the odds that it will remain in the food that is delivered at local stores orShow MoreRelatedThe presence of pesticides in fruits, vegetables, cereals, in other food items and even in breast900 Words   |  4 PagesThe presence of pesticides in fruits, vegetables, cereals, in other food items and even in breast milk is a matter of grave concern (Munshi et al. 2001; FAO/WHO 2005; Damgaard et al. 2006; Koirala et al. 2007; Shen et al. 2008; Cok et al. 2011). There are many other studies which depict the presence of pesticide as residues in food materials above the esta blished maximum residue limits (MRLs) (Bajpai et al. 2007; Devanathan et al. 2009; Srivastava et al. 2011). Out of 267 vegetable samples collectedRead MoreGenetically Modified Organisms : Safe Or Unsafe?1181 Words   |  5 Pagesapples at Shop-Rite are bigger then they’ve been before. That’s likely the effect of GMO. GMO helps those apples grow faster and thrive, gaining the bright red color that they have now. Are the foods containing GMO actually healthy? I think that you shouldn’t take the risks of GMO foods just because they cost less than organic foods. Most of the world is not aware of the side effects of GMO and what it can do to your body. Soy, corn and cotton are the most widely recognized for being geneticallyRead MoreEffects Of Pesticides On The Environment Essay1269 Words   |  6 Pages200 million pounds of pesticide ingredients were used in the field (Shelton, Geraghty, Tancredi, Delwiche, Rebecca, Ritz, Hansen, Hertz-Picciotto, 2014). Pesticides are used on the agriculture products to prevent damages from insects, and it is vital for the high quantity production of today’s world. However, pesticides are also a toxic chemical for human. There are innumerous types of pesticide can be used in the field. Some of them are banned because of its adverse effect such as dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethaneRead MoreGenetically Modified food should not be banned876 Words   |  3 Pagesthere are several considerable profits to agriculture, environment and human health. Genetically Modified food should not be banned while they provide benefits to agriculture. The high productivity is creating by Genetically Modified food; the GM crops double the food yield by improves the pesticides and fertilizers in the crops. the productivity gains from G.M. crops, as well as improved use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, allowed the world s farmers to double global food output during theRead MoreA Fable for Tomorrow by Rachel Carson1562 Words   |  6 PagesSilent Spring Book Review Silent Spring is a startling book concentrated on the perils of chemical pesticides. Nevertheless it is also a powerful story focused on the natural world. In the first chapter: â€Å"A Fable for Tomorrow,† Carson gives a picture of a vibrant town, in which everything of the natural world, including humans and wildlife, live together in harmony. There is an abundance of life in the town and everything flourished. Out of the blue, something inexplicable strikes and the cheerfulRead MoreMany chemicals are used in packaging, storage, and processing of foodstuffs. These chemicals might1500 Words   |  6 Pagesprocessing of foodstuffs. These chemicals might have a long term effects on the human body. Most of these chemicals are inert and would lead to long term effects. Although most of these chemicals pass Federal Food Safety laws, the people who consume processed or packaged foods are more vulnerable to fatal diseases. Scientist have not gathered enough information about the long term impact. This includes the impact on early stages of human development, especially in the womb. An extended amount of exposureRead MoreA Test on Rachel Carsons Book Silent Spring1253 Words   |  6 Pagesuniting with each other through chains, rings, and other various configurations. Also, its ability to link with atoms of other substances allows the element to serve as a basis for other naturally occurring molecules and a wide variety of synthetic pesticides. 4. The ingestion and accumulation of DDT and other insecticides even when foods directly treated with these chemicals are avoided is possible because it can be present as tiny residue on foodstuffs that was not necessarily injected. DDT and otherRead MoreOrganic Farming Practices : The Organic Foods Production Act ( Ofpa )1327 Words   |  6 Pagesorganic for one of those three.† Nevertheless, more research should be done to affirm to this claim before coming to a conclusion. Organic agriculture is preordained to improve the soil quality over time by avoiding most synthetic materials, such as pesticides and antibiotics; the only reason there is an increase in vitamin and mineral levels in comparison to inorganic food may be because some vitamins and vitamins are destroyed through the inorganic growing process. InvestigationRead MoreOrganic Vs Non Organic Vineyards1671 Words   |  7 PagesOrganic vs Non Organic Vineyards There’s many differences between organic vineyards and non-organic vineyards. Organic vineyards, for instance, produce their wine by excluding the use of artificial chemical fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides and herbicides. Non-organic vineyards on the other hand, produce their wine by applying these products. Every year that goes by, our generation is becoming more advanced in the usage of organic products. Many things sold in groceries stores are now availableRead MoreThe Reasons Of Labeling Gmos : Yes Or No700 Words   |  3 Pagespositive or negative effect on the human body. Consumers should know that they are buying GMO’s because farmers use more pesticides. Furthermore, the scientific community has no consensus on GMOs. Finally, GMOs have proven to have adverse side effects in animal testing. This shows how GMOs should be labeled. One reason that GMOs should be labeled is because consumers should know that more pesticides are being used. First, â€Å"Critics claim that GMOs may increase the use of chemical pesticides. (Miffin,1) Growing

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Sorry for Disturbing You - 1198 Words

Sorry for Disturbing You â€Å"Sorry for Disturbing You† is a short story from 2008 written by Richard Knight. The main theme of the short story is regret and the story basically focuses on the regret of choices one makes in life. The story revolves around the protagonist Ian Harter and is told by a third person limited narrator, as only Ian’s thoughts appear in the story. Ian is our eyes throughout the story and all feelings and descriptions are from his point of view, which forces the reader to have certain impressions of the other characters. The story begins in medias res with Ian opening the door to his house finding an old alcoholic man standing on his doorstep. Ian reluctantly lets the man, Michael Phelps, into his house where Ian†¦show more content†¦One simple disastrous action of adultery with the wife of his best friend has lead his life off track and separated him from his friends and completely ruined his family life for good. He has to suffer for the rest of his life from that one mistake he has made and as a result, he drinks continuously to soothe the pain of his loss. And the pain has clearly set its mark on him; throughout the story he keeps apologising as if it can make up for the mistake he made in the past. The dialogue between the two very different men is a very important element of the story. There is a very limited dialogue in the story and an overweight of monologue. Though it might seem like the story is one big dialogue, Ian and Michael spends most of the time talking past each other. Ian continuously tries to keep a conversation going to avoid the awkwardness of silence, while Michael alternately mumbles, apologises and speaks to himself about his regrets and his mistakes. This causes a minor confusion during the story, because Ian asks Michael many questions, but only very few are answered. Another very important factor in the story is the role of the water. Throughout the story, all kinds of different fluids are mentioned, such as rain, tears, water, tea, alcohol and milk. Words such as moist, wet, sobbing, glassy-eyed, slippy, unwashed and bath underlines the effect of the water inShow MoreRelatedSorry for Disturbing You1688 Words   |  7 PagesInstructions: †Sorry for Disturbing You† Write an essay (900-1200) words in which you analyse and interpret Richard Knight’s short story â€Å"Sorry for Disturbing You†. Part of your essay must focus on the function of dialogue in â€Å"Sorry for Disturbing You† I will correct the following elements: * Verbal concord * Personal pronouns (he, him, she, his, her etc.) * Spelling * Paragraph structure * Introduction + thesis statement Text: â€Å"Sorry for Disturbing You†, a short storyRead MoreSorry for Disturbing You1275 Words   |  6 PagesSorry for Disturbing You – Assignment A B A) Write an essay (700-900 words) in which you analyse and interpret Richard Knights short story Sorry for Disturbing You. Regret is defined as a feeling of sorrow or remorse for a fault, act, loss or disappointment. In spite of this melancholic definition, regret is inevitable in our lives. But it is often said, that â€Å"if we spend our time with regrets over yesterday, and worries over what might happen tomorrow, we have no today in which to live.†Read MoreSorry for Disturbing You1706 Words   |  7 Pages------------------------------------------------- Sorry for disturbing you A. Several acknowledged studies show that one of the primary sources to human happiness is the close and positive relations we can have to each other. We have the ability to communicate and we have an enormous vocabulary to express how we feel. But with great power comes great responsibility. Communication is a central part of an intimate relationship and, if handled properly, it can be the key to a long and happy lifeRead MoreSorry for Disturbing You - Essay728 Words   |  3 PagesRichard Knight 2008 Sorry for Disturbing You The short story Sorry for Disturbing You by Richard Knight is written in past tense and limited 3rd person narrator. It starts in media res, our protagonist Ian opens the door, and a man is standing on his doorstep. By starting the story it makes the readers wonder what is going on, and it is like you are having the same exact reaction as Ian when he opens the door. The readers can identify themselves, and understands Ian’s feelings, why he does theRead MoreJohn Kevin Rudd s Speech : New Ideas And Perspectives1190 Words   |  5 Pagesthings in the past, present and future. Kevin Rudd’s Sorry speech confronts Australia with the truth of past wrongdoings that have taken place against aboriginals. Robert Gray’s Coast Road voices confronting viewpoints of forthcoming change in North Coast Town, and also disturbing discoveries relating to current proceedings in The Meatworks. These many forms of discoveries can potentially, have confrontational abilities. In Kevin Rudd’s Sorry Speech, looking into the past creates a discovery inRead MoreThe, The Neighbor Behind Us Practices Scream Therapy1134 Words   |  5 PagesThe neighbor behind us practices scream therapy in his shower almost every morning. I thought it was weird; he was only 17 and scream therapy is usually when you reenact a particularly disturbing past experience occurring early in life. Presumably, I figured he might have been six or seven when this horrendous event happened, but by the sound of it, this, this was much bigger than dropped cookies and lost dinosaurs. These screams; they sound as if he has still been living in his own misery. LouisRead MoreLetters From The Person Who Calls Himself T 1026 Words   |  5 Pagesthere are twenty-four letters from the person who calls himself T . I know because I poured over the contents of each one, horrified by every threat he had made to my mother. The closer the letters get to the current date, the more graphic and disturbing the subjects are. He s getting angrier, whoever this person is. The key pieces from all of the letters include Mom betraying him in some way. They also mention things about loving her so much, but I know it isn t my father. My father s nameRead MoreEssay Passion of the Christ560 Words   |  3 Pagesthe same time an army of Roman Soldiers was marching towards the woods to capture him. The film was filled with suspense from start to finish leaving you not wanting to miss a second. It was mostly visual so even if you dont like reading subtitles you will still enjoy it. There is definitely something in this film for everyone. Even if you cant bear to watch the violence, which is so predominant throughout the movie, there is a lot of emotion, action and even horror that will keep any audienceRead MoreEssay on Comparison of Animal Rights Texts777 Words   |  4 PagesComparison of Animal Rights Texts I am going to compare two pieces of text called: Its a crying shame and Sorry, but I think dying people are more important than dumb animals, by an Animal Rights Group and Polly Toynbee respectively. The first article is intended to appeal to a younger audience who think that killing animals is wrong because they are cute etc. The second extract is aimed at adults who are interested in the welfare of human beings. The Animal AidRead MoreEssay 11381 Words   |  6 Pagespharmacy and filled the prescription. I talked to her last night, other than being tired, and she was fine.† â€Å"Okay,† the paramedic said. â€Å"The coroner is on the way. The officers will stay here until they arrive.† â€Å"What do you think happened?†Joshua asked as the paramedics waited. â€Å"I’m sorry, I have no idea, but it happens.† â€Å"Give me a minute, and I’ll get her medication,† Joshua said, going toward the stairway. +++ While staring out the window, one of the officers went over to the paramedic and said,

Monday, December 9, 2019

Rhetoric in Movies free essay sample

Rhetoric and movies have coexisted within each other ever since the first showing of a moving picture on the big screen. Movies, particularly Saving Private Ryan, could not have delivered a single message to its audience without the use of rhetoric. Saving Private Ryan is a classic movie to watch whether a person lived through the nineteen nineties or not. As being a nameless time-honored work, Saving Private Ryan influences and challenges many people’s outlook on life. To be able to do so, Saving Private Ryan uses persuasive rhetoric. In particular, George Marshall, a character in the movie, targets the moral and the ethical side of humans and wants support in disregarding logic and doing what is morally right. With this intention, Marshall effectively delivers Saving Private Ryan’s rhetoric through the heavy reliance on ethos and pathos. For the purpose of context, Saving Private Ryan takes place in Normandy nineteen forty-four. We will write a custom essay sample on Rhetoric in Movies or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Moreover, it is the brink of world war two. In the opening scene, the allies have just stormed the shores of Normandy, more popularly known as D-day. There the story is seen through the eyes of Captain Miller and his second Ranger Battalion. The scene changes as the battle of Normandy is over and all of a sudden, ends up in a communication room. In the scene, United States Army Chief of Staff, George C. Marshall, learns about the deaths of three brothers all on the same day. Marshall quickly finds out that there is another brother, Private Ryan, who is still alive. Under those circumstances, Marshall must make a call on whether or not to save Private Ryan, hence the title of the movie. To get back to the point, Marshall assigns Captain Miller and an eight man squad to rescue Private Ryan and send him back home safely to his grieving mother. Undoubtedly, the importance lies in the moment when Marshall must choose on a course of action. To aid his decision, Marshall delivers a speech that strongly influences his staff to pursue after Private Ryan. His speech has strong ethos, the ethical argument, because he references a letter from Abraham Lincoln concerning a similar predicament. Lincoln stated, â€Å"I have been shown in the files of the War Department a statement of the Adjutant General of Massachusetts that you are the mother of five sons who have died gloriously on the field of battle. † In other words, Lincoln was expressing his regrets on the situation, and by personally sending this letter, he wished to consolidate the grieving mother. Back then, Lincoln was not able do anything for the mother but Marshall, at that moment, has an opportunity to bring back the very last of her sons. Marshall utilizes this opportunity to develop an ethical argument that debates between reuniting the mother with her son or doing nothing because war inevitably had loses. By going after Private Ryan, Marshall establishes ethos because he demonstrates good will and good moral character. He further strengthens his argument by bringing in a precedent of Abraham Lincoln. Because Abraham Lincoln was a very influential figure in history, Marshall, also, by referencing Lincoln, institutes credibility and further enforces ethos in his speech. At the end of his speech, Marshall says, â€Å"The boy’s alive. We are going to send somebody to find him. And we are going to get him the hell out of there. † This statement develops Marshall’s authority and gives more power to his character. Automatically, Marshall’s community standards are raised when he shows such high concern for the well-being of the soldier and his mother. In addition to ethos, Marshall’s speech uses pathos, the emotional argument, to stir up emotions. When Marshall references Lincoln, he quotes, â€Å"I feel how weak and fruitless must be any words of mine that would attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. † Marshall, through Lincoln’s letter, targets the emotions of love, fear, and sadness that the mother will experience if he does not take any action. He is able to employ those powerful emotions into the bold act of sending eight soldiers to rescue one. By stating â€Å"the grief of a loss so overwhelming†, Marshall is also able to gather sympathy that immediately empowers his persuasion. Because of his decision to rescue Private Ryan, Marshall not only is he able to emotionally conflict his audience, but also is able to develop an interesting storyline for the movie. To put it briefly, George Marshall is able to persuade his subordinates to disregard any logic behind his decision. He uses ethos to gain his moral appeals, the upholding of community standards, and credibility, the use of good moral. Alternatively, he uses pathos to invoke emotions that, in return, make his persuasion easier. As a whole, Marshall makes a very effective persuasion. This as a result, makes Saving Private Ryan an effective rhetoric for rejecting logic and pursuing the moral and ethical.

Monday, December 2, 2019

The Effect of Global Warming on Thermohaline Circulation free essay sample

Industrial activities, such as fossil fuel burning and other human activities such as tropical deforestation have increased greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere. Increasing global temperatures are likely to have extreme effects on global climate and may result in species extinction, changes in agricultural production and deleterious effects on health. Studies have been conducted in recent years on the effects of increase of greenhouse gases on the thermohaline circulation. There are several hypotheses that state that the prolonged effect of global warming could eventually â€Å"shut down† the thermohaline circulation and lead to cooling in certain regions in the North Atlantic Ocean. Several ocean-atmosphere models have been used to predict the effect of increase of carbon dioxide (a greenhouse gas) concentration on ocean circulation. Two such models are discussed and their results are analyzed. 1. Introduction [2] Global temperatures have seen a dramatic increase since the Industrial Revolution. Several climate models have projected an increase of between 1. We will write a custom essay sample on The Effect of Global Warming on Thermohaline Circulation or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page 1 ° C to 6. 4 ° C in the global average temperature due to the continued effect of global warming (IPCC (2007)). Apart from the resulting adverse effect on global climate, increasing global temperatures may result in species extinction, changes in agricultural production, deleterious effects on health, rise in the sea level, reductions in the ozone layer and disruption in the ice shelf. Another possible outcome of global warming is what is now termed as the â€Å"shutdown of the thermohaline circulation†. Wallace S. Broeker, the man responsible for the term â€Å"Global Conveyor Belt†, called the thermohaline circulation the â€Å"Achilles heel of our climate system† (Broeker, 1997). There is much research that focuses on the effect of greenhouse gases on ocean circulation. Two such models are discussed in future sections. Some research has shown that the transfer of heat from regions around the equator to the poles is due to the thermohaline circulation in the ocean. This implies that Europe does not have the same limate as the poles because of the thermohaline circulation. The thermohaline circulation therefore plays an important role in regulating the amount of sea ice in the Polar Regions. There are several schools of thought (Seager, Battisti, Yin, Gordon, Naik, Clement and Cane (2002)) that attribute this climate in Europe to its position with respect to the ocean basin and the warm atmospheric waves that blow up north from the tropics. Rhines and Hakkinen (2003) c hallenged this claim. According to Rhines and Hakkinen, â€Å"it is the existence of the oceanic heat transport that allows the maritime effect to operate in the northern North Atlantic and to create a milder European climate than in the North America; without the heat transport, ice would likely extend over much greater areas of ocean and land†. Much research is currently focused on the role of ocean circulation in the supply of heat to Europe. 2. Thermohaline Circulation [3] Ocean circulation is commonly divided into two parts: the thermohaline and the wind driven circulation. In other words, circulation in the oceans is partly due to wind stress, and also partly due to changes in density because of changes in temperature and salinity. The term â€Å"thermohaline† originates from thermo for heat and haline for salt, which together determine the density of the water mass. [4] Thermohaline circulation originates in specific areas of the North Atlantic and in the Weddell Sea of the Southern Ocean. In the North Atlantic, the evaporative cooling effect of winter is responsible for cooling the upper layers of seawater, increasing the salinity thereby increasing density and causing sinking. The dominant infrared absorbing gases in the Earth’s atmosphere are water vapor, carbon dioxide (CO2) and ozone (O3). The interactions between greenhouse gas molecules and radiation can be explained by quantum mechanics. CO2 and O3 molecules have vibration motions whose quantum states can be excited by collisions at energies encountered in the atmosphere. Industrial activities, such as fossil fuel burning and other human activities such as cement production and tropical deforestation has increased the carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere. CO2 is also a byproduct from automobiles, airplanes and building constructions. The importance of CO2 as a greenhouse gas is very apparent and is therefore used as a parameter in determining the effects of global warming. 4. Review of models used to simulate the response of the Thermohaline Circulation to increasing CO2 [6] Several coupled ocean-atmosphere models have been used to simulate the response of ocean circulation to the increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Manabe and Stouffer (1993) conducted one such study; a coupled ocean-atmosphere model was used to simulate the increase of CO2 in the atmosphere. Three integrations over a period of 500 years were conducted. In the first integration the atmospheric concentration of CO2 was kept constant. The second and third integration involved increasing the atmospheric CO2 at a rate of 1% per year, until it reached twice the original value at the 70th year (for the second integration) and four times the original value at the 140th year (for the third integration) and was maintained constant thereafter. The change in CO2 concentration caused the gradual disappearance of the thermohaline circulation while doubling and quadrupling the concentration of CO2. Most notably, in the North Atlantic Ocean, the thermohaline circulation nearly vanished during the first 200 years in the 4xCO2 integration (the integration carried out while quadrupling the CO2 concentration in the atmosphere). During the first 140 years of the 4xCO2 integration, the thermohaline circulation rapidly weakens and continues to do so even after the concentration of CO2 is held constant. The integration also showed a decrease in the formation of Antarctic Bottom Water. The result of this integration shows that the gradual disappearance of the thermohaline circulation leaves wind driven, shallow cells in the subtropics of the North and South hemisphere. Similar effects were observed in the 2xCO2 integration. The thermohaline circulation shows weakening intensity during the first 70 years of simulation, which continues until the 150th year, during which there is no change in the CO2 concentration. But in the 150th year the thermohaline circulation slowly begins to regain its original intensity, although not quite achieving it. 7] Manabe and Stouffer concluded that the weakening of thermohaline circulation in the 2xCO2 integration is not due to its instability, but rather due to the adjustments made by the mechanism to the â€Å"evolving density structure† of the models Atlantic Ocean. This is apparent in the manner in which the circulation slowly regains strength in the later part of the 2xCO2 integration. This does not happen in the 4xCO2 int egration, and the thermohaline circulation shuts down. There were also notable changes in the Weddell and Ross Seas, where the circulation became weak and shallow. This in turn caused weakening of the deep-water formation and the northward flow of bottom water in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans was affected. This weakening of the thermohaline circulation is attributed to â€Å"the capping of the model oceans by relatively fresh water in high latitudes where the excess of precipitation over evaporation increases markedly due to the enhanced poleward moisture transport in the warmer model troposphere†. [8] Schmittner and Stocker (1998) used a simplified coupled atmosphere-ocean model to study the possible effects of greenhouse gas emissions. The findings were similar to Manabe and Stouffer, with the model exhibiting a threshold value of CO2 concentration beyond which the thermohaline circulation shuts down and does not recover. The concentration of CO2 is doubled here, and exhibits a shutdown; however the model is less sensitive than that of Manabe and Stouffer. The model shows that the thermohaline circulation breaks down for a value of 750 ppm or higher. An equilibrium state is reached characterized by the absence of deep-water formation in the North Atlantic. 9] Manabe and Stouffer (2003) revisited the effect of carbon dioxide on thermohaline circulation by conducting several integrations using a coupled atmosphere-ocean model for a time period varying between 4000 years to 15000 years. Similar to the study carried out in 1993, the concentrations of CO2 are doubled, quadrupled and halved. In each experiment â€Å"the response of surface temperature increases with increasing latitudes†. In the 2xCO2 experiment, thermohaline circulation shows weakening before intensifying around the 200-year mark. It fully regains its original intensity in the 600th year. The 4xCO2 experiment shows the thermohaline circulation reacting in a similar manner as earlier noted, however, it regained its intensity around the 1000-year mark. The weakening of the thermohaline circulation in the 2xCO2 and 4xCO2 experiments is attributable to reduction in the surface salinity of the North Atlantic Ocean. With the warming of the troposphere (due to increased CO2 concentrations), the moisture content in the air increases; this in turn enhances the transport of water vapor in the troposphere towards the poles. The precipitation in the high latitudes goes up by a fairly high amount, which reduces the salinity and density of the North Atlantic waters. 5. Conclusion [10] There are several hypotheses that state that the continued effect of global warming could eventually â€Å"shut down† the thermohaline circulation and lead to cooling in certain regions in the North Atlantic Ocean. Global warming could lead to an increase of freshwater in the upper oceanic regions, by melting glaciers, and thereby increasing precipitation into the ocean. This increase in freshwater could have an adverse effect on the thermohaline circulation which, as mentioned earlier, is driven by changes in temperature and salinity. In 2004, NASA satellites recorded what seemed to be the slowing of the North Atlantic current. On April 15 of that year, NASA released a press statement stating that the â€Å"slowing of this ocean current is an indication of dramatic changes in the North Atlantic Ocean climate†. A study of the ocean circulation in the North Atlantic by Harry Bryden (2005) revealed that â€Å"Atlantic meridional overturning circulation has slowed by about 30 per cent between 1957 and 2004†. Bryden’s finding was viewed with speculation by the scientific and oceanographic community, especially since measurements conducted post 2005 showed a significant warming of the North Atlantic Current. However, the current overall climate is definitely changing; in particular sea-ice formation is less because of overall global warming. Bryden predicts that the shutdown on the thermohaline circulation could have severe repercussions on Europe, in that the temperature would change drastically. There could be major climatic changes such as an increase in floods and storms. Warming or rainfall changes in the tropics or the poles could occur. While the rest of the scientific community felt Bryden’s findings were not credible, Detlef Quadfasel (2005) felt that there were a few observations that supported Bryden’s work. Quadfasel pointed out that climatic records have shown drops in air temperature by 10 °C in a few decades possibly caused due to abrupt changes in ocean circulation. Global warming is a very real threat to the human race. The question we face is whether global warming is in fact to going to affect the thermohaline circulation. Even though there is a large amount of research that is being conducted in this area, there is an equal amount of opposition to it. Jaworowski (2007) has called the increase of CO2 concentrations the â€Å"Greatest Scientific Scandal of our Time†. Jaworowski claims that the IPCC assessment of global warming in 2007 was purely a political move, â€Å"prepared by governmental and United Nations bureaucrats†. In another article in 2007, Jaworowski also claimed that the increase of CO2 is not due to human activity but by atmosphere-ocean gas exchange and other causes of natural climatic fluctuations. Numerical models may provide a fairly decent idea of the functioning of systems, but there is always the danger of erroneous statistical methods and the use of boundary conditions that don’t necessarily reflect the real world. However, at the risk of sounding trite, prevention is better than cure. The risk of man entering a new ice age is very real as of now, and will remain so until research shows otherwise. There are studies that speculate that the shutdown of the thermohaline circulation is what previously led to the Younger Dryas (the big freeze) period (Schiermeier, 2006). Man may enter a new ice age; ironically, because of global warming.