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Published online 3 October 2008 | Nature | doi:10.1038/news.2008.1148

Column: Muse

Identifying the dripping taps of climate change

Seeking out the subtle effects of carbon dioxide can lead to some bizarre conclusions, says Philip Ball.

What is the connection between rain in Tibet, sunspots, Earth's magnetic field, iron filings, cosmic rays and insects?

The answer is that all have been proposed as agents of climate change. Some of them now look fairly well established as such; others remain controversial, or have been largely discounted.

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  • If magnetic field decrease can lead to CO2 solubility drops,that means the acidity will descend,the latter can increase sound absorption.Are they inconsistent?

    • 05 Oct, 2008
    • Posted by: Sifan Huang