The concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere is the highest in 800,000 years

The conclusions of researchers at the University of Berne - Switzerland published in the scientific journal Nature on May 15 show that the concentration of CO ₂ in the atmosphere is currently at the highest level in 800,000 years.

Earth is at risk of many major disasters due to climate change (Photo: www.smh.com.au )

By drilling deep to 3,270m in the Antarctic and analyzing air bubbles in layers of snow and ice at a depth of a few kilometers, scientists can for the first time learn about the history of climate change. hundreds of thousands of years ago and came to the conclusion that the current atmospheric CO ₂ concentration is at the highest level in 800,000 years .

The data have demonstrated the correlation between CO2 concentration and the phenomenon of temperature rise on Earth. According to research results, the Earth's temperature was at its highest level in the period of 320,000 years, when the Antarctic temperature was 3-5 degrees C hotter than today and the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere when That's 320 ppm (320/1 million units) compared to the current 380 ppm.

Scientists also said that the previous warming period, which stretches over many centuries, makes people feel stable climate, while in the last 150 years, the Earth has been rapidly warming due to house effect. glasses. Statistically, CO ₂ concentrations have especially increased rapidly over the past two decades. From 1970 to 2000, CO2 concentration increased by an average of 1.5 ppm / year and in 2007 alone, this concentration increased by 2.14 ppm.

According to scientists, 667,000 years ago was the time when CO2 had the lowest concentration in the atmosphere (only about 172 ppm) and scientists thought that the ocean could absorb CO2 better.

A follow-up finding by the European Research Center (EPICA) is that the process of dramatic climate change does not depend on the size and speed of the glacial process. 770,000 years ago, the climate change diagram was independent of the glacial process. Therefore, the current theory of Arctic melting could lead to slowing down currents and thereby cooling the climate in Europe, which may need to be reviewed.