Experts: ‘Big Freeze’ about 12,800 years ago happened within months

In the film, "The Day After Tomorrow," the world gets gripped in ice within the span of just a few weeks. Now research now suggests an eerily similar event might indeed have occurred in the past.

Looking ahead to the future, there is no reason why such a freeze shouldn't happen again — and in ironic fashion it could be precipitated if ongoing changes in climate force the Greenland ice sheet to suddenly melt, scientists say.

Starting roughly 12,800 years ago, the Northern Hemisphere was gripped by a chill that lasted some 1,300 years. Known by scientists as the Younger Dryas and nicknamed the"Big Freeze," geological evidence suggests it was brought on when a vast pulse of fresh water — a greater volume than all of North America's Great Lakes combined — poured into the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans.

The pledge will not be part of a binding international treaty — the hopes for which have been dashed by the lack of a climate law coming out of Congress — but it will mimic the cuts passed by the House earlier this year. The Senate is still debating climate legislation.

From our very own Cort Scholten:

2009 College of Dupage Severe Weather Symposium

Recently a group of CMU meteorology students attended the CoD
Severe Weather Symposium. A number of experts from the United
States and Canada presented the latest research in topics such
as convective initiation, tornadogenesis, and severe weather
forecasting. Panel discussions about issues in severe weather
initiation, forecasting, and warning created healthy dialogue
with insights into issues concerning operational severe
weather meteorology, and motivation for students to work hard
at becoming the best atmospheric scientists they can be.

Bob Hartig, a storm chaser from Grand Rapids, has blogged about in greater detail about what was discussed at the conference. Students are especially encouraged to read the final 5 paragraphs.

Blog: http://stormhorn.com/wp/2009/11/09/highlights-from-the-2009-cod-severe-weather-conference

While I realize this isn't exactly weather related, I figured it would still pique a lot of interest for some folks since this was on msn.com's front page and is about our very own Dr. Mellinger here at CMU.

Panoramic image shows stars 1,000 times fainter than human eye can see