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Re:75% decline over 27 years in total flying insect biomass ... by smt88 on Wednesday October 18, 2017 @07:55PM (#15504336)
Saying that science is biased because it fails to see the benefit of global warming is like saying it's biased because it doesn't discuss the benefit of a worldwide plague.

Sure, there'd be benefits: fewer lines at amusement parks, all the food you can eat, etc. But that's so far from a net "good" that only a psychopath or moron would publish a paper with that argument.

Re:75% decline over 27 years in total flying insect biomass ... by nnfy on Wednesday October 18, 2017 @11:42PM (#15505317)
How would you even know of there has been so little research on the subject? How can you claim to have an unbiased answer when you only research one side of a topic?

I legitimately want to ask you how you can be so sure that our doomsday scenarios are accurate, when we still have a fledgling understanding of a massive chaotic system like climate, and when almost all research has been purposefully negative?

If you look hard enough, you'll find anything. That's why skepticism is necessary. You'll at least agree that anything remotely pro climate change is taboo, I hope, and there is no room for taboo in science, in my opinion.

Edit: hell, how long have we known about deep ocean currents? Stratification of the subsea into various isoclines and thermoclines? Calthrates? People seem to underestimate how complex climate is, and how much we've yet to discover.

Re:75% decline over 27 years in total flying insect biomass ... by smt88 on Thursday October 19, 2017 @04:29AM (#15506327)
> How would you even know of there has been so little research on the subject? How can you claim to have an unbiased answer when you only research one side of a topic?

Like a plague, the millions or billions of human deaths is all the research we need. No benefit is going to counterbalance that.

Just to take one example (of many) of deadly things that are already happening that you yourself mentioned: permafrost melting.

"More arable land" also means "the release of incredibly dangerous, dormant pathogens like anthrax". Kinda makes the "arable land" moot.

https://www.vox.com/2017/9/6/16062174/permafrost-melting

Re:75% decline over 27 years in total flying insect biomass ... by WillPostForFood on Thursday October 19, 2017 @12:18AM (#15505429)
So you would say we are at perfect temperature now, or should we pursue strategies to cool the globe toward a cooler temperature?
Re:75% decline over 27 years in total flying insect biomass ... by groby_b on Thursday October 19, 2017 @02:13AM (#15505794)
You seem to be under the misapprehension that climate change is simply fiddling with the thermostat. The decidedly ill-chosen name of "Global Warming" might certainly lead in that direction.

But here's the thing - the weather systems on the planet are rather complex systems that are in a somewhat stable equilibrium. Changing temperature will affect that equilibrium, which will mean rather impressive upheaval. Both a warming and a cooling will have catastrophic effects for humanity. What we should pursue are strategies that prevent shifting too far from that fragile balance. No matter which direction.

Re:75% decline over 27 years in total flying insect biomass ... by WillPostForFood on Thursday October 19, 2017 @05:21AM (#15506531)
You seem to be under the misapprehension that we are at a stable equilibrium. The temperature and weather systems of the planet have continually been changing since forever. Do you consider the last ice age part of the somewhat stable equilibrium you refer to? It is impossible to hold the current state, it will inevitably change, it is just a matter of how fast, how well we can deal with it.
Re:75% decline over 27 years in total flying insect biomass ... by groby_b on Thursday October 19, 2017 @01:05PM (#15509603)
Nice attempt to move the goal posts.

Read the text. Somewhat stable. I'm well aware it moves, but it's moving much more rapidly than anything we've experienced, and at least a large part of that is without any doubt anthropogenic.

So how about you stop trying to parse words, and engage with the issue?

Re:75% decline over 27 years in total flying insect biomass ... by mirimir on Wednesday October 18, 2017 @10:02PM (#15504935)
It'd be good for other species, however ;) Except for those that we farm, anyway.