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When predicting a possible end of the world from global warming, knowing why it is occurring is only one part of the process. After all, the catastrophic effects of global warming might happen whether this process is natural or human-caused-so it's important to theorize either way.

Although mean global temperatures will increase as a result of the production of more greenhouse gases (such as methane and carbon dioxide), an important consequence of global warming is that diseases will spread more frequently and more rapidly. Mosquitoes and other disease vectors normally are limited by a certain temperature range to survive (which is why certain African villages set their homes higher in local hills and mountains-to escape the temperature threshhold of the malaria-harboring anopheles mosquito by climbing in altitude). With global warming, these mosquitoes will no longer have such a limitation, and they'll be able live in various other areas.

Furthermore, with warmer mean winter temperatures, more disease vectors (such as mosquitoes, but also rats) will survive through what would be a murderous winter to launch attacks on human populations in the spring.

Another factor to look at when considering global warming is the increased chance for much more powerful storms, whether they be tornadoes or hurricanes.

But, finally, although most people refer to the melting of ice caps and how this will flood several coastal areas, one must remember that the newly melted water will be freshwater-when this floods the salty ocean water, the saltwater will sink, and the gulfstream conveyor belt that provides Europe with warm water (so it is not as cold as Canada at similar latitudes) will shut DOWN.

When this happens, northern areas will actually freeze. In this way, global warming may actually lead to a geologically needed ice age.

Learn more about this author, Jack Roviere.
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