Where have I heard this one before?
Human emissions of fossil carbon into the atmosphere and the resulting increase in temperatures may be holding off the next ice age, according to research from Sweden’s University of Gothenburg.
“We are probably entering a new ice age right now,” Lars Franzen, a professor of physical geography at the university, was cited as saying in an online statement today. “However, we’re not noticing it due to the effects of carbon dioxide.”
Of course, “right now” is a somewhat nebulous concept to a professor of physical geography; he’s probably not talking about the Sumerians, but I wouldn’t bet that he means anything later than, say, the 18th Century AD either. Which is part of the problem of science reporting, alas (the other half being that both sides fondly think that they’re speaking the same kind of English*)… (more…)