When all of these fossil fuels were walking the Earth as part of the...?

Question

natural carbon cycle, were there more life forms on this planet or less? What was the average global temperature, do you suppose? Would this suggest global warming is a good thing, bad thing, or neither (assuming more carbon means warmer temps)?

Answer 1

Well, since neither of the large ice sheets of the world melted when it was a little warmer than it was today,  I would say global warming would actually help us out if it was actually happening.

There were much higher co2 levels in the earths past, the earth didnt melt, animals and plants survived ( we are here, right?).

Answer 2

BINGO  you have a winner

It's   Denial is a River in you Head

Put on your thinking caps now.



We aren't dinosaurs.   They wouldn't survive in our climate and we wouln't do so well in theirs.

Answer 3

In terms of what supports more life, a warmer planet is better than a cold one.  Over the time implied in your question we have had warmer and colder periods.

Answer 4

There have been cycles of warming and cooling since the earth was formed.  As "recently" as 5,000 years ago, much of Europe was covered with ice and when it started melting, other peoples started moving into Europe -- the Neanderthals were already there and were gradually replaced through the superior brain power of the newbies.

There are fewer species as time passes -- look at those that are now extinct:  dinosaurs, dodos and so many others.  The more people on earth and the more we use fossil fuels, air conditioning, etc, etc the faster we contribute to global warming and the extinction of more species of life.

It's though that a 6 degree average increase will cause sea levels to rise enough to put much of Manhattan underwater, dry up the rainforests and cause widespread drought and famine as crops will require so much more water.

Answer 5

At that time the Earth was A LOT warmer. well, actually we need the greenhouse gases building up in the atmosphere because without that teh Earth would be frozen. The problem is that we now have too many greenhosue gases there...

Answer 6

The global temperature was hotter millions of years ago, because there was much more CO2 in the atmosphere (before it got trapped in fossil fuels).

Whether or not there were more life forms on the planet then is irrelevant.  It was a different ecosystem, and the plants and animals were adapted to that climate.  If dinosaurs thrived with the planet 10 degrees hotter, that doesn't mean global warming is a good thing, because everything alive today is used to the planet at its current temperature.

Answer 7

There may be FAR more to the 'carbon cycle' than most people believe.

When forests and animals remains were found far north - that indicates very warm temperatures at one time.

What is there is no such thing as 'fossil fuels'?  

Is it possible that earth generates oil?

Why is oil found beneath the Siljan Ring?

Please read about Thomas Gold's - The Deep Hot Biosphere:

http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/st...

Oil Without End?

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/f...

ARE FOSSIL FUELS AN OLD FASHIONED IDEA WHOSE TIME HAS GONE?

http://www.amsoil.com/articlespr/fossilf...

I believe this is very interesting!