Climate was HOTTER in Roman, medieval times than now: Study

The Register ^ | 10th July 2012 11:44 GMT | Lewis Page

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Americans sweltering in the recent record-breaking heatwave may not believe it - but it seems that our ancestors suffered through much hotter summers in times gone by, several of them within the last 2,000 years.

Phew, what a scorcher, Marcus. Let's get in the frigidarium

A new study measuring temperatures over the past two millennia has concluded that in fact the temperatures seen in the last decade are far from being the hottest in history.

A large team of scientists making a comprehensive study of data from tree rings say that in fact global temperatures have been on a falling trend for the past 2,000 years and they have often been noticeably higher than they are today - despite the absence of any significant amounts of human-released carbon dioxide in the atmosphere back then.

"We found that previous estimates of historical temperatures during the Roman era and the Middle Ages were too low," says Professor-Doktor Jan Esper of the Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, one of the scientists leading the study. "Such findings are also significant with regard to climate policy."

They certainly are, as it is a central plank of climate policy worldwide that the current temperatures are the highest ever seen for many millennia, and that this results from rising levels of atmospheric CO₂ emitted by human activities such as industry, transport etc.

[Pilsner]

Still...miniskirts for men? No way. Don't care how hot it is.

I think you have to post at www.fabulousrepublic.com if you dress like that.

Of course, summer weight kilts are still fine.

[BenLurkin]

if you dress like that.

No thanks.

[OneWingedShark]

“HE BETRAYED OUR COUNTRY!!!! HE PLAYED ON OUR FEARS !!!!”

Keep that in mind, should Romney be elected, because you'll hear it.

Obama               Romney
  |                    |
  |                    |
  |                    |
  |                    |
 Marxist             Fabian
 Socialist           Socialist
  \                    /
   \                  /
    \                /
     \              /
      \            /
       \          /
        IMPLEMENTS
         SOCIALISM

[driftless2]

Oh no, I know for a fact that high temps lead to complete disaster. Al Gore told me that. And since the temps were higher 2000 years ago, the earth burned to a crisp, and we’re all dead. So there. (smirk)

[Pollster1]

Don’t forget that the temperature inside the earth just a couple of years ago was, “several million degrees,” according to Al Gore.

[colorado tanker]

Joey, do you like movies about gladiators?