Earth Atmospheric Oxygen Levels Declining... we're giving these people money?

[Provenance]

http://www.livescience.com/56219-ear...cial_ls_514627

This is getting absurd. "Scientists" could literally just make up whatever they want and attribute it to global warming and every major and minor news outlet would give it coverage.

"This just in: Scientists discover direct correlation between seasonal increase in global warming and Caucasian females drinking spiced pumpkin coffee beverage."

[Garnier Fructis]

http://www.livescience.com/56219-ear...cial_ls_514627

This is getting absurd. "Scientists" could literally just make up whatever they want and attribute it to global warming and every major and minor news outlet would give it coverage.

"This just in: Scientists discover direct correlation between seasonal increase in global warming and Caucasian females drinking spiced pumpkin coffee beverage."

Did you even read the article you posted? They're talking about decline over a timescale of 800,000 to 1 million years; global warming was only mentioned tangentially and wasn't even the focus. And it wouldn't be, because of the aforementioned timescale.

The only thing absurd is that people like you read the headline, don't read the article, and them make assumptions and act like you had a clue.

[Provenance]

Did you even read the article you posted? They're talking about decline over a timescale of 800,000 to 1 million years; global warming was only mentioned tangentially and wasn't even the focus. And it wouldn't be, because of the aforementioned timescale.

The only thing absurd is that people like you read the headline, don't read the article, and them make assumptions and act like you had a clue.

I did read the article, but thanks for being the first guy to assume I didn't. Glad we got that out of the way. What I find even more absurd than the global warming claim is that something like this gets funding when it's utterly useless information.

[Edge-]

Glad we got that out of the way. What I find even more absurd than the global warming claim is that something like this gets funding when it's utterly useless information.

Welcome to science, it's a huge amount of apparently utterly useless information until we actually need it for something.

Also, this is useful information, especially considering the fact that you know, humans need to oxygen to breathe so declining levels, even over huge periods of time, are kinda relevant. Doubly so when you look at the impacts of humanity on the global environment.

[Atrea]

I did read the article, but thanks for being the first guy to assume I didn't.

He's not the first.

It's pretty clear, though, that if you did read the article, you didn't understand a word of it.
Sometimes important data doesn't have an immediately-apparent purpose. Nevertheless, it is often the pursuit of "utterly useless information" that yields the exact opposite.

It's unlikely that any of this will register with you, as you don't come across as being the intellectual type (despite what you may think of yourself), but try to be open to new ideas and understand that just because something doesn't make sense to you, it does not become invalidated. Just move on with your life, and understand that people much smarter than you will actually take something away from this information.

[Reg]

I did read the article, but thanks for being the first guy to assume I didn't. Glad we got that out of the way. What I find even more absurd than the global warming claim is that something like this gets funding when it's utterly useless information.

Perhaps it's just my opinion, but I like to know how our planet functions as explained through scientific research. I would think that the oxygen content of our atmosphere and whether an increase/decrease in its level would be potentially hazardous would be important.

[Garnier Fructis]

I did read the article, but thanks for being the first guy to assume I didn't. Glad we got that out of the way. What I find even more absurd than the global warming claim is that something like this gets funding when it's utterly useless information.

Let me amend my statement, either you didn't read it or you did but didn't understand it.

They aren't even talking about global warming. They're talking about natural processes over the last 1 million years. The only mentions to fossil fuels (they don't even mention global warming) are in statements saying that their research is focused on what happened before we started burning fossil fuels. Your first post was literally bashing scientists for linking this to global warming, when it manifestly is not.

As for the last point, about this getting funding: you better not be one of the people that always argues that climate change is all natural. Why? Because the only way you can even analyze that claim is to study natural processes, which is what they're doing right here. It's not useless information.

[Jtbrig7390]

http://www.livescience.com/56219-ear...cial_ls_514627

This is getting absurd. "Scientists" could literally just make up whatever they want and attribute it to global warming and every major and minor news outlet would give it coverage.

"This just in: Scientists discover direct correlation between seasonal increase in global warming and Caucasian females drinking spiced pumpkin coffee beverage."

Two things.

1. I think you should read ur own link and understand it before posting/commenting about it.
2. I think they know more then you.

[Forgettable]

OP did you give those scientists money? No? Then don't complain.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

I mean if Oxygen levels go down in over a long amount of time. Our...descendants would have to deal with that problem so...in my eyes better fix it now or attempt to then be too late. If that makes any sense.

[Lenonis]

ITT: Someone who doesn't understand science ranting about how bad science is.

There have been a lot of benefits that has come from seemingly silly studies. I'll grant that not every study is equally valid and some sure seem strange, but even at a cursory glance understanding how our atmosphere works and the affects over time seems to be something that could be extreme valuable.

[Krawu]

I think the whole issue has been solved in the first 3 posts. OP did not read the article, merely glanced over it or doesn't understand science.

The claim that any accurate information on global warming is useless is so incredibly dumb that I don't even know if OP attended school past 2nd grade. Figuring out how to stop or at least slow or soften a phenomenon that might render parts of the earth inhospitable for human life, ie "humans die if they live there" might require every last scrap of information available.

[Edge-]

Figuring out how to stop or at least slow or soften a phenomenon that might render parts of the earth inhospitable for human life, ie "humans die if they live there" might require every last scrap of information available.

Hey man, just take the long view of things. Ultimately, it doesn't even matter! Our sun will turn into a red giant and possibly engulf earth billions of years down the road anyways, so why bother spending trillions trying to address the problem?

[Krawu]

Hey man, just take the long view of things. Ultimately, it doesn't even matter! Our sun will turn into a red giant and possibly engulf earth billions of years down the road anyways, so why bother spending trillions trying to address the problem?

Weeeell, if you want to take that view you don't even have to go that far or big to embrace utter nihilism. 100 years from now, nobody from this generation will even be around any more :B
In all seriousness, global warming is without a doubt the biggest threat humanity as a whole has ever had to face. Even bigger than the potential nuclear option during the cold war, especially when thinking long term. But on the positive side, human ingenuity has never shone brighter than in times of duress. If you take a look at what just the 2 world wars got us, we might have some kickass scientific advances to look forward to once shit gets bad. ...well, worse.

[Dug]

OP did you give those scientists money? No? Then don't complain.

"b-but muh taxes"

[Belize]

.7% in 800,000 years.

Wow.

[Aquinan]

Idiot bashes scientific study he doesn't understand. Idiot gets shot down. Welcome to social media....oh wait

[Grimbold21]

Dont take the bait, folks

[Provenance]

So many salty people in this thread. I did not expect this. I expected to be the saltiest one, but I have been overcome.

[Tijuana]

http://www.livescience.com/56219-ear...cial_ls_514627

This is getting absurd. "Scientists" could literally just make up whatever they want and attribute it to global warming and every major and minor news outlet would give it coverage.

"This just in: Scientists discover direct correlation between seasonal increase in global warming and Caucasian females drinking spiced pumpkin coffee beverage."

Didn't we already know the planet had much more oxygen in the past, before mankind came to be? I don't see why this is news.