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Questions for Discussion: Global Warming: Graphs Tell the Story
- Read the 25,000 BP Temperature graph. What has happened to the temperature for the past 25,000 years? In your readings of the other graphs, is there an explanation for this? There is evidence that Earth's temperature has risen in the past 100 years. Does this show up on this graph? Why or why not?
- Compare the Vostok climate record (160,000 BP) with the Volcanic Eruptions graph (73,000 BP). Does the eruption of Toba show up on the CO2 data at about 73,000? Does temperature or methane seem effected by it? Attempt to explain this.
- In studying these graphs, what is clear about Earth's climate over time?
- Scientists can only take the data they have at hand and do their best to interpret the trends they see. Find a graph, or a portion of one, for which either you are not given an interpretation, or the one given is misleading or incorrect. Present your own interpretation.