How long the earth would last?

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Well, of course it's possible...

How probable a super volcano erupting might be, I bet real few can hazard any guesses.

The danger on greenhouse gases is their cumulative effect. A positive feedback loop might be going on; the permafrost in Siberia and Alaska is melting rapidly. This will release huge amounts of CO2, methane and other swamp gases into the atmosphere.

If ocean water warms up 10 degrees celsius (which is quite a lot in fact), the methane hydrate ice in the ocean floors will become gas which will release into the atmosphere eventually. Methane is more powerful greenhouse gas than CO2, as you might know already.

One certain indicator of global warming is that certain species, not previously able to live near the Arctic circle has now moved here. Diseases and parasites not previously able to withstand the colder climate will come sooner or later. The spreading of malaria to colder climates, if that should happen, would be a very definite sign of global warming indeed.

And what if we humans aren't the ones causing the global warming? Can we take the risk of not doing anything, while we still might have a chance? Go tell that global warming isn't happening to inhabitants of those island states that are sinking below the rising ocean.

And if indeed global warming would not be happening, local warming is. The CO2 and other atmosphere impurities heat up the air and cause one mean turbulence. Storms and increased lightning activity near major cities has been noted and studied. Smog is not a minor factor on increased allergies and respiratory illnesses. If we're not destroying the earth, some of us are doing great job ruining each others lives.

 

Supervolcanos are not a theory, there's one under Yellowstone, which is why it is so thermaly active.
And why is everyone so worried over the ice cap? Climates throughout Europe and Asia are still not as warm as they were only 1000 years ago. The global climate changes, it has before and it will again. Also remember that the more the Earth is covered in water, the more light is reflected away, so the Earth will cool faster. We're in a rather stable equilibrium, here. It would take something on the scale of an orbital change to kick us out of it.

 

I have to comment on this argument, since it is too funny to pass up. You do realize that 70% of Earth surface is covered by water, right? So 1% increase in this quantity would correspond to 3 percent decrease in land (which now obviously is under water). And guess what what portions of land will be submerged: coastal areas (obviously) which are one of the most populated regions of the world.

Let's not even mention that ice reflects better than water, so if ice will melt and transform into water, I don't think the overall effect would be of cooling.

This doesn't seem to be true either. It would be helpful if you'd give some links to supporting evidence... Lacking this, a two minutes search on Google brings up the following page The "Medieval Warm Period" (from the National Oceanic and Amospheric Administration web site). The relevant paragraph:

There is more interesting stuff on that site.

 

There was a mini-ice age around the last turn of the millinium (1000 AD). Monks grew many crops in england beforehand that still won't grow there today because it is too cold. Note, this does not reflect a global trend.

 

Well, the British should enjoy their weather while they can, since if the Gulf Stream gets screwed, it's going to get a lot colder.

Britain faces big chill as ocean current slows

I wonder if such a thing should happen, would our fearless leaders acknowledge some measure of responsability.

 

we shoud enjoy it? do you know what temperature it is here now?

its 17:21 and there is a frozen puddle outside my house.