# For probably the first time in 3 million years, CO2 goes over 400 ppm in the atmosphere! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 10, 2013, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-probably-the-first-time-in-3-million-years-co2-goes-over-400-ppm-in-the-atmosphere/658027 "2013-05-10T21:16:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Happy\_Fun\_Ball](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_fun_ball/32/17664_2.png) [@Happy\_Fun\_Ball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Fun_Ball)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2013, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-probably-the-first-time-in-3-million-years-co2-goes-over-400-ppm-in-the-atmosphere/658027/1 "2013-05-10T21:16:54Z")
I did my part! I am proud that I helped in reaching this noteworthy goal. How about you, do you feel good about it? [Climate Milestone: Earth’s CO2 Level Passes 400 ppm](http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/energy/2013/05/130510-earth-co2-milestone-400-ppm/) [QUOTE=National Geographic Article linked above] \ the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere there has exceeded 400 parts per million (ppm) for the first time in 55 years of measurement—and probably more than 3 million years of Earth history. [/QUOTE] > [@](#): > > The last time the concentration of Earth’s main greenhouse gas reached this mark, horses and camels lived in the high Arctic. Seas were at least 30 feet higher—at a level that today would inundate major cities around the world. > > The planet was about 2 to 3 degrees Celsius (3.6 to 5.4 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer. But the Earth then was in the final stage of a prolonged greenhouse epoch, and CO2 concentrations were on their way down. This time, 400 ppm is a milepost on a far more rapid uphill climb toward an uncertain climate future. Yay team! ☹ ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2013, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-probably-the-first-time-in-3-million-years-co2-goes-over-400-ppm-in-the-atmosphere/658027/2 "2013-05-10T21:27:20Z")
Only a matter of time before the dinosaurs come back to reclaim what once was theirs… _cocks gun_ ---
**Author:** ![The\_Understander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3da27b/32.png) [@The\_Understander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Understander)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2013, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-probably-the-first-time-in-3-million-years-co2-goes-over-400-ppm-in-the-atmosphere/658027/3 "2013-05-10T21:28:24Z")
Damn sunspots! ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2013, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-probably-the-first-time-in-3-million-years-co2-goes-over-400-ppm-in-the-atmosphere/658027/4 "2013-05-10T22:56:17Z")
Speaking as a native Southerner stuck in freezing New England, I say this is the best news I have heard in years. Do whatever it takes to warm this place up and this party started. I have a bunch of old spray cans that I can fire off in the back yard tonight if that will help. Who is with me? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2013, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-probably-the-first-time-in-3-million-years-co2-goes-over-400-ppm-in-the-atmosphere/658027/5 "2013-05-10T22:59:10Z")
Today on the news they said it was only 800,000 years ago. Stop trying to induce panic. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2013, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-probably-the-first-time-in-3-million-years-co2-goes-over-400-ppm-in-the-atmosphere/658027/6 "2013-05-11T00:04:06Z")
> [@the Cremation of Sam McGhee](#): > > And there sat Sam, looking cool and calm, in the heart of the furnace roar; > And he wore a smile you could see a mile, and he said: "Please close that door. > It’s fine in here, but I greatly fear you’ll let in the cold and storm— > Since I left Plumtree, down in Tennessee, it’s the first time I’ve been warm Living in Ohio, I’m safe? ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2013, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-probably-the-first-time-in-3-million-years-co2-goes-over-400-ppm-in-the-atmosphere/658027/7 "2013-05-11T00:16:35Z")
I blame the cicadas. ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2013, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-probably-the-first-time-in-3-million-years-co2-goes-over-400-ppm-in-the-atmosphere/658027/8 "2013-05-11T00:19:19Z")
> [@](#): > > The last time the concentration of Earth’s main greenhouse gas reached this mark, horses and camels lived in the high Arctic. Well, that’s good, right? 'Cause I read somewhere that with the global warming the polar bears are having trouble finding food. This way, they’ll have plenty of horses and camels to eat. ---
**Author:** ![Kiros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/439d5e/32.png) [@Kiros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiros)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2013, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-probably-the-first-time-in-3-million-years-co2-goes-over-400-ppm-in-the-atmosphere/658027/9 "2013-05-11T00:22:24Z")
You’re such a liar; we all know that the Earth is no more than ten thousand years old, at most. More proof of the god-hating liberal media! ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2013, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-probably-the-first-time-in-3-million-years-co2-goes-over-400-ppm-in-the-atmosphere/658027/10 "2013-05-11T06:23:02Z")
400 ppm? I won’t be happy until that’s at least 1,000,000 ppm, preferably more. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2013, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-probably-the-first-time-in-3-million-years-co2-goes-over-400-ppm-in-the-atmosphere/658027/11 "2013-05-11T07:01:16Z")
It’s all merry fun, but [we’re approaching a tipping point.](http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2013/02/12/1575941/melting-permafrost-releases-climate-warming-co2-even-faster-than-we-thought/) ---
**Author:** ![Arrogance\_Ex\_Machina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrogance_ex_machina/32/192_2.png) [@Arrogance\_Ex\_Machina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrogance_Ex_Machina)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2013, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-probably-the-first-time-in-3-million-years-co2-goes-over-400-ppm-in-the-atmosphere/658027/12 "2013-05-11T08:29:11Z")
> [@chacoguy](#): > > It’s all merry fun, but [we’re approaching a tipping point.](http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2013/02/12/1575941/melting-permafrost-releases-climate-warming-co2-even-faster-than-we-thought/) Next on SDMB - “Should you tip a climate and if you should, how much?”. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2013, 9:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-probably-the-first-time-in-3-million-years-co2-goes-over-400-ppm-in-the-atmosphere/658027/13 "2013-05-11T09:37:18Z")
But how does this affect me now? **casually sets fire to tower of tyres** ---
**Author:** ![EmAnJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@EmAnJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmAnJ)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2013, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-probably-the-first-time-in-3-million-years-co2-goes-over-400-ppm-in-the-atmosphere/658027/14 "2013-05-11T16:02:20Z")
That’s pretty scary, actually. And sad. ☹ I’m not seeing anything changing any time soon though, especially considering the comments so far in this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Astroboy14](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/df705f/32.png) [@Astroboy14](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Astroboy14)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2013, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-probably-the-first-time-in-3-million-years-co2-goes-over-400-ppm-in-the-atmosphere/658027/15 "2013-05-11T16:08:35Z")
> [@Arrogance\_Ex\_Machina](#): > > Next on SDMB - “Should you tip a climate and if you should, how much?”. Why the hell should I tip the climate for doing it’s damn job?:mad: ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2013, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-probably-the-first-time-in-3-million-years-co2-goes-over-400-ppm-in-the-atmosphere/658027/16 "2013-05-11T16:08:38Z")
> [@EmAnJ](#): > > That’s pretty scary, actually. And sad. ☹ > > I’m not seeing anything changing any time soon though, especially considering the comments so far in this thread. It is worrisome, but actually nobody knows how things will turn out. ---
**Author:** ![EmAnJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@EmAnJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmAnJ)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2013, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-probably-the-first-time-in-3-million-years-co2-goes-over-400-ppm-in-the-atmosphere/658027/17 "2013-05-11T16:18:04Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > It is worrisome, but actually nobody knows how things will turn out. I understand that, but I would think it would be prudent to follow the precautionary principle in this case. ---
**Author:** ![lavenderviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cdc98d/32.png) [@lavenderviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lavenderviolet)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2013, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-probably-the-first-time-in-3-million-years-co2-goes-over-400-ppm-in-the-atmosphere/658027/18 "2013-05-11T17:53:28Z")
I really think the only hope humanity has to actually survive over the long term is to figure out a way to colonize other planets. Even if huge numbers of people across the entire world commit to trying to be environmentally responsible, all it takes is a few big polluters to ruin everything. Consider that China alone has a huge proportion of the world population, and can contribute a huge amount of pollution to the world even if every country in the western world were all on the same page. I honestly expect that humans will end up killing ourselves off with our own stupidity, but if we’re lucky maybe we will work out a way to colonize Mars or something in time. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2013, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-probably-the-first-time-in-3-million-years-co2-goes-over-400-ppm-in-the-atmosphere/658027/19 "2013-05-11T18:13:08Z")
Yeah! Let’s go wreck Mars too! ---
**Author:** ![Uber\_the\_Goober](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/58956e/32.png) [@Uber\_the\_Goober](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uber_the_Goober)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2013, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-probably-the-first-time-in-3-million-years-co2-goes-over-400-ppm-in-the-atmosphere/658027/20 "2013-05-11T18:18:39Z")
Methinks God had the right idea with the flood - “them people down there are messing things all up!” I love Louis CK’s bit about [God coming back and giving us the what-for](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIdgAVSiOd0)🙂 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-probably-the-first-time-in-3-million-years-co2-goes-over-400-ppm-in-the-atmosphere/658027.md?page=2)