Forget global warming, ‘Little Ice Age’ to begin in 10 years

Global warming may mean beachfront property in Macon someday, but the Earth may have to go through a cold spell first.

Polar bears would have had plenty to eat if they'd made it to London during the late 1600s.

Fox Nation sums up the complicated science with this low-key headline: Global Warming Be Damned, We Might Be Headed for a Mini Ice Age

According to the pocket-protector crowd at the annual meeting of the solar physics division of the American Astronomical Society, the sun, due to reduced sunspot activity, is going to be a bit cooler soon.

When? Maybe as soon as 2021, or never.

How much cooler will the Earth get if sunspot activity decreases? No one knows exactly, but probably a fraction of a degree Celsius, which probably isn’t enough to lure another NHL franchise to Atlanta.

But, the last time such a thing happened, in the late 17th Century, the good folks of London were ice skating on the Thames and villages in the Swiss Alps were destroyed by expanding glaciers.

Wired Magazine throws ice water on the heated discussion with this exciting headline: Sunspot Drop Won’t Cause Global Cooling

At most, reduced sunspots will offset rising global temperatures for a few years, perhaps a couple decades, said NASA climatologist David Rind in the Wired article.

“To point to this as something that could in any way ameliorate greenhouse gas warming is folly,” said climatologist Michael Mann of Penn State University.

I guess I’ll keep the snow skis in the attic.