April 4, 2025

30 thoughts on “Weather Versus Climate Change | Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey

  1. Brilliant explanation by Dr. Tyson. Loved Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey and Possible Worlds and a great continuation of what Sagan started in the 1980’s.

    One way I like to think of climate change is a roller coaster analogy. Typically throughout the year the seasons change. The hottest time of the year is summer and the coldest time of the year is winter. (Obviously) So let’s say we smooth out the daily temperature swings. So it’s a month to month or season to season variation. Let’s say the roller coaster is going up and down by 5 feet. You can see the tracks behind you which represents the temperatures recoded but you can’t see what’s ahead. Roller Coaster may go up 5 feet (represents the heat in summer) and go down 5 feet (represents the cold of winter) however the roller coaster increased by 2 inches after every cycle (one year) but that rate increases by double every 5 years (so 4in to 8in to 16in etc) this represents the increase speed of climate feedbacks. You don’t really notice a change because your going up and down 5 feet through the seasons yet it’s increasing by inches. But over time you look back and start to notice your slightly higher up. You notice you can see more things in the distance.

    It’s like that with climate change. Yes you get seasons, sometime seasons are colder than normal sometimes warmer than normal. Even with a steadily increasing average, day to day weather and season changes make hard to know an increase in climate temperatures. The coldest time of year in many locations is as much as 40°F colder than the hottest time of year and even bigger if you say have a hot summer. And your only warming up at a rate of 0.5°F per decade. BUT the rate of warming increases and you start notice the climate is warmer and the effects of a warmer climate: more extreme precipitation (dry or wet), hotter longer summers, warmer shorter winters, less frequent but more intense snow storms. less frequent but more intense hurricanes, melting ice craps, higher sea levels, etc.

    By the end of the century I suspect most locations will still get cold winter and hot in summer but both seasons will be much warmer.

  2. Ah, so this is why you can't get the weather forecast right but can tell us that the world is going to end in 7 years. I see. Can I just ask what happened to the ice age that the experts predicted in the 70's please? Also, when are the ice caps really going to melt because we've been told 2000, 2004, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2020, 2023 and now 2028 so far.

    Just to finish off – If you believe this then you really are as stupid as they want you to be.

  3. This video was brilliant. I think it’s important note that yes you can have a cold day, it’s more important to look at the monthly average, the annual average, and look at a temperature time series.

  4. With all due respect sir, I think you would agree a lighthouse constructed on a sandbar would not be a good gauge to measure ocean water levels. But I think you would agree that an ocean lighthouse built on Atlantic Continental Shelf would be an Excellent gauge of ocean water levels over time. Look up Minot’s Ledge Lighthouse, Massachusetts. 1863 the design and construction of lighthouses was the responsibility of the Corps of Topographical Engineers; this resulted in a rivalry with the longer-established Army Corps of Engineers, which built fortifications and had responsibility, as it does today, for waterway improvements. The Chief Engineer of the Army Corps of Engineers, Joseph G. Totten, personally took charge of the project to design and construct a permanent lighthouse on Minot's Ledge. Please give this project some consideration. Thank you sir.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *