The most direct route through the Northwest Passage has opened up fully for the first time since records began, the European Space Agency (Esa) says.

Historically, the passage that links the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans through the Canadian Arctic has been ice-bound.

But the agency says ice cover has been steadily shrinking, and this year's drop has made the passage navigable.

The findings - based on satellite images - have raised concerns about the speed of global warming.

The Northwest Passage is one of the most fabled sea routes in the world - a short cut from Europe to Asia through the high Arctic.

Recent years have seen a marked shrinkage in its ice cover, but this year it was extreme, Esa says.

It says this made the passage "fully navigable" for the first time since monitoring began. (BBC)

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Pass me the sunscreen ... its warm in here!

I wonder if they'll find anything interesting thawed out from the last time.

Hi Duncan

Global warmin caused by man is a crock o crap

Bring it on!

I like the warmer weather.

We've had really nice comfy winters for the past 5 years here. I'm hoping for an even warmer one this time around.

Whatever will be will be.

It must be God's plan!

I don't know of anyone else who might have ordered it.

Then again maybe it's God finally answering my prayers for warmer winters.

See. I ordered it and didn't even realize it.

Most excellent. When did records begin. :>

"Wanted"


Large refrigeration unit capable of maintaining a steady -3 degrees centigrade for orphaned, homeless penguins..

Please call after dark, as we cannot come above ground when the sun is up...

signed,

Australia.

awwwwwwwww ... penguins ... my favourite bird

Especially rockhoppers!!!

A couple of years ago London zoo had to administer penguin sun-block as some of the penguins were experiencing sun burn!

The weather was blisteringly hot and the poor penguins got in the cool water only to be burnt from the sunshine!!

Truth be known, whatever is happening in the north ice sheets, one can expect similar to be happening in the south, and the Emperor penguins...(Famous movie stars in March Of The Penguins) will be homeless, as will all the other species...fairy penguins, etc, etc, indigenous to Antarctica.

New Zealand and Tasmania being their closest neighbours, when their home is gone, will gladly take these immigrants, (probably illegal in some other countries), they will need somewhere to hangout...hence the rather large refridgeration unit needed asap...

Tasmania won't mind too much, they like the cold.

Meanwhile the rest of us in Australia will have become underground dwellers, as the UV get's higher and higher and the hole in the ozone layer gets bigger and bigger...


Oh, you do mean THAT global warming dont you?

for the penguins... I know extinction can be a natural process but accelerated extinction disturbs me... and well.. I try not to get emotional but penguins are just so darn cute and funny... little clowns in tuxedos...

And the Polar bears Jess... don't forget the polar bears who can barely find ice to rest on during hunting and mating now...

From what I have read, they are drowning...the distances between ice sheets are further and further...I don't forget any of them Anoasis...

I find though...the frustration and sadness at the ignorance of most...is kind of wearing..

BTW- nice rock hopper pic Belushi- I like them especially too because of their cool "hair"do's (feathers).

And for the curious: http://wbztv.com/weathernews/local_story_277153118.html

I heard about this from a website (www.fark.com) and their headline for it was "Mythical global warming makes mythical Northwest Passage a reality"

Monitoring began in 1978, according to one news article.

Why is everyone
so upset about
polar bears?

Would you get
so upset if
it were grizzly
bears?

Polar bears
are a bigger
and more
ferocious
than grizzly
bears.

Grizzly bears
defend their
territory, but
polar bears see
you as food and
will eat you
just for fun.

I wonder how many have ever seen either a Polar bear or a Grizzly. They'll both eat you!

Although I'd like to keep both bear species around and penguins and everybody else, this does bring up an interesting question.

Right or wrong to interfere?

Global warming? Hurricanes, tornados, flooding, draughts,earth quakes.
Natures way of lashing back at mans inviromental neglect.
Kat

The poor bears and penguins and other earthly animals are also in peril. Not to mention the human animal. Time will tell. Time will tell.
Kat

I would get upset about any animal losing it's habitat...and for those who don't give a rats arse...derserve to lose theirs.

I would like to lose mine. But....I give a rats arse, soooo I guess I am doomed.

We must stand up for whats right and take care of what we have been given. A gift not to be out done. A gift we take for granted. Misuse, abuse and forget about. A human condition.
Kat