Water on Mars? NASA announces strong evidence of martian water flows

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NASA made a major announcement that says they've found proof of water on Mars. The implications could be huge for human travel to the red planet as well as finding out we're not alone in the universe. Patrick Jones (@Patrick_E_Jones) explains.

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An exciting announcement came from NASA Monday morning that changes the course of human history. Scientists have found very strong evidence that flowing water exists on Mars.

Credits: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

Researchers have long wondered whether there is flowing water on the martian surface. The planet is frozen and, while there is proof that the planet used to be watery, the thin atmosphere creates an environment where there is no rain. Further, any water molecules in the air become vaporous and unstable in liquid form. The lack of flowing water also has pointed to the lack of life on Mars. That is, until now.

On Sept. 28, CNN reported that “Liquid water exists on Mars, boosting hopes for life there.” NASA confirmed the strong evidence saying that liquid water does indeed flow on the planet’s surface under certain circumstances.

“Our quest on Mars has been to ‘follow the water’ in our search for life in the universe, and now we have convincingscience that validates what we’ve long suspected,” said John Grunsfeld, astronaut and associate administrator of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington. “This is a significant development, as it appears to confirm that water -- albeit briny -- is flowing today on the surface of Mars.”

Scientists and researchers have known for years that frozen water can be found at Mars’ poles. Recently, tiny puddles that appear on the martian surface during the night were also found. NASA reports that, in 2011, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter imaged seasonal water flows that leave behind dark streaks as they descend down crater, mountain and canyon slopes. The dark streaks grow longer in the summertime and fade as the martian temperatures cool. Thousands of these streaks have been located on the martian surface.

Researchers guessed that the streaks were evidence of flowing water. Lujendra Ojha, a graduate student at the Georgia Institute of Technology had an idea to gather information with a spectrometer, which allows researchers to identify molecules by noticing which colors each of them absorb. Researchers found signs of briny water using the spectrometer in four different locations on the planet.

The freezing temperature of salt water is much lower than fresh water. It also doesn’t evaporate as easily.

NASA Chief Scientist Ellen Stofan expects that indications of alien life, past or present, will be found within the next decade with more definitive evidence presenting itself within the next thirty years. For more information on what the researchers are saying about the discovery, follow their twitter feed where live updates are being posted. To see evidence by way of a gif put together by NASA, go here.

*originally published on the now defunct Examiner.com

Outer Space Treaty requires updates due to private enterprise loopholes and more

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There is currently no law governing property ownership or protection of our planet’s only moon. The only relevant agreement is The Outer Space Treaty of 1967, but the language of the treaty is not specific and leaves possible legal loopholes.

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No longer relegated to the realms of science fiction, outer space has literally become the next and final frontier. It’s becoming a reality where new rules and regulations will be crucial for the governance of what now seems to be a new version of the Wild West.

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BBC News reports Sept. 25 that though it seems strange to think about, treating portions of outer space like real estate is going to become a thing. Further, human curiosity paired with the added weight of an increasing raw materials- dependent population will make it ever more important to consider where space exploration, business ethics and politics meet.

The pioneers commandeering new adventures into space differ from those of the old; a family can’t just load up with their belongings into a shuttle and take off to establish a homestead on the moon or on Mars, for example. Of course, NASA does have aspirations to send manned missions to the Red Planet, but it probably won’t be without the help of private space companies.

For years, in the midst of numerous budget cuts to an already struggling space program, NASA astronauts have had to hitch rides to the International Space Station by way of Russia at millions of dollars per seat. This, along with other factors, have made it increasingly impossible for the space program to operate without the help of private companies such as SpaceX and Boeing. In fact, NASA has been given funds by the government to encourage private companies to build spacecraft that can be of service to NASA and to others.

The Outer Space Treaty, or the “outer space constitution,” is a legal document that was activated in 1967 -- and the current treaty is quickly becoming out of date The document serves as the foundation for international space law and is backed up by 129 countries who have agreed to the parameters set forth by the treaty. The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs makes sure that the principles of the treaty are being upheld. Principles include the prohibition of space ownership by sovereign nation states and maintains that outer space endeavors should be embarked upon for the good of mankind.

The BBC reports that “this treaty has worked so far, but there are some potential pitfalls.” For example, unlike city states and territories, space currently has no defined boundaries. Dr. Jill Stuart, Editor in Chief of Space Policy Journal and visiting academic at the London School of Economics explains:

There is no official definition of outer space, but it's something on which a United Nations working group is currently consulting member states. I suspect we will settle for a physical demarcation at the Karman Line, which is about 100km up, but it's also an option to go for a functional definition. This is where laws are defined based on the function of a space object rather than where it is in space.

These demarcation points will provide laws for space tourism. However, the need for revisions in the treaty is becoming apparent as private companies look to exploit resources that can be found in space. For example, in the case of companies wishing to send mining expeditions to the moon: These new developments were not foreseen when the Outer Space Treaty was signed in 1967. "International law is ambiguous about private companies setting up mining operations in space. There is a strong case for revisiting the Outer Space Treaty to bring it up to date," states Ian Crawford, planetary science professor at Birkbeck, University of London.

One of the many things to be considered is the protection of certain lunar landmarks. "For scientific reasons, some areas of the Moon are sites of special scientific interest and should be preserved and protected from commercial activities," states Crawford. Other factors to consider include considering whether private enterprise benefits the good of all mankind and what happens if Earthlings meet other intelligent life with their own set of space laws.

*originally published on the now defunct Examiner.com

Is finasteride safe? PFS Foundation brings attention to finasteride side-effects

Some men didn't realize how much finasteride was going to cost them.

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Yesterday, we published a story about Guevedoces, children who grow up as girls but who are genetically boys without anyone knowing. Essentially, an enzyme deficiency causes them to not have outer organs until they receive a surge of testosterone at puberty. Then, male features such as a cracking/deepening voice, broadened shoulders and sexual organs begin to sprout.

It’s for the most part a rarity but in remote parts of the Dominican Republic, one in 90 children experience this. That number is high enough that the people of the Dominican Republic accept three sexual categories; male, female and pseudohermaphrodites.

A representative from the Post-Finasteride Syndrome Foundation wrote in on Monday, Sept. 21 to make some comments on the article in regards to our mention of finasteride. We had learned that an American pharmaceutical company called Merck had found some key research surrounding Guevedoces and had turned it into a drug called finasteride which is used to treat male pattern baldness and enlarged prostates. Guevedoces have a deficiency in an enzyme called 5-α-reductase and even when puberty hits, their organs are small, their prostates are small. Researchers decided to apply 5-α-reductase blockers to medicine in efforts to decrease prostate growth in grown men. Researchers found that as a positive side effect, the drug also helped men’s receding hairlines.

The PFS Foundation representative pointed out in earnest that finasteride, more commonly known as Propecia or Proscar, has many potential dangers. “There are thousands of men around the globe, many of them in their 20s, and some as young as 14, who took finasteride and now suffer from what’s known as Post-Finasteride Syndrome (PFS), which is characterized by a host of side effects that may be permanent.” Possible side effects of the drug include: Loss of libido, erectile dysfunction, depression, suicidal ideation, anxiety, panic attacks, Peyronie’s disease, penile shrinkage, gynecomastia, muscle atrophy, cognitive impairment, pain in the testicles, hives, insomnia, severely dry skin and tinnitus.

According to the New England Journal of Medicine, a long-term study for prostate prevention showed that while finasteride did significantly reduce the risk of prostate cancer in their patients (about one third), it was also “associated with an increased risk of high-grade disease.”

Men’s Health Magazine published an article about Propecia in 2011. The risk seems small, according to the drug’s label. Per Merck, only one in 50 men are reported to experience significant sexual side effects, and even when they do, the side-effects are claimed to decrease with time. However, “researchers have known for some time that finasteride induces ‘sexual adverse events’ in a statistically significant minority of men who take it,” writes Men’s Health. The magazine notes a study published in Urology that showed that 15 percent of the men who took finasteride in their study also suffered new sexual side effects. In comparison, only 7 percent of men in the placebo group experienced new sexual side effects.

These kinds of side effects can be detrimental. “Many PFS patients suffer economic hardship due to job loss, and emotional distress due to the breakup of marriages and romantic relationships. PFS has also been linked to suicides,” writes PFS Foundation representative Philip Roberts.

Men’s Journal reports that since 2011, 1,245 lawsuits have been filed against Merck which allege the company of not warning finasteride users that there is a host of possible sexual and cognitive side effects attached to usage of the drug. What’s worse about all this is that patients are also experiencing side effects long after they have quit using the drug. There is even a wrongful death suit filed against the company. A 40-year-old man with no previous mental health history is suspected by his family to have killed himself because of the effects of the drug.

According to the National Institutes for Health, because of these red flags, “Studies are underway to understand the safety profile of 5-alpha reductase inhibitor drugs with respect to adverse events…and their permanency.” A new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association noted the need: “Two meta-analyses conclude that finasteride treatment of androgenic alopecia (AGA) is safe but do not assess quality of safety reporting.” According to PFS, “out of the 34 clinical trials conducted on finasteride, none adequately reported on sexual side effects.”

*originaly published on the now defunct Examiner.com

Spectacle Music brings danceable healing vibes to the Colorado music scene

Spectacle Music is made up of eclectic musicians who are bringing chill, danceable music with a healing vibe to Colorado's music scene. Image courtesy Hunter Perkins at Beyond Form

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It has been a year of collaborations and big things for the trioSpectacle Music. They’ve rounded up their first festival appearances at Arise Music Festival and have been in the studio creating new releases for their rapidly growing fanbase. With a solid goal of bringing a new sound to the Colorado music scene, Spectacle has plans to continue moving on at a fast clip after commemorating their first year together as a band at their upcoming anniversary show on Halloween. By next spring, the band hopes to be on tour, with airplay on college radio stations to help them amplify their work. “We’ll hopefully be able to do a whole summer of festivals. We’re kind of a festival band,” said Michael Lee Mahan, founder and leader of Spectacle in an exclusive interview with AXS.com.

Spectacle seems to be moving in flow with barely a hitch. Mahan explained that he’d been writing music on his own for a year before meeting violinist Jessica Borth at a house party. “I always thought that live instruments over electronic music was a little more interesting,” he said. “I always wanted to add more instruments. I started playing guitar over my own stuff and then when I was at a party, I met Jessica Borth who plays violin and she just sat in with me.”

The two musicians clicked and they continued creating together. Then, while immersed in academic studies for sound engineering, Mahan met a percussionist named Rob Brandon. Brandon suggested that the three music makers do a show right away. “After our first show, which went well, we decided to stay together as a trio and then we would add featured artists such as live singers and saxophone players,” Mahan explained.

Featured artists have included Denver singer/songwriter Eian O'Brien and the saxophonist Miles Holland. Funk/soul singer Andrea Pares also features in some of Spectacle’s upcoming releases and performances.

Spectacle’s music is rhythmic, danceable and described by Mahan as “chill with a bit of a healing vibe.” Each of the players bring their personal experience. Mahan with his influences of jazz guitar and UK electronica, Borth’s classical background and Brandon’s Afro-Cuban rhythms synthesize to create what Mahan considers something new. “When we make this music, I feel like it’s kind of a worldly sound.”

First and foremost, Mahan considers himself a producer and audio engineer. He has quite the experience in that realm, having recorded all types of music. He’s even done some recordings for theDanny Elfman orchestra (“The Nightmare Before Christmas”, “Corpse Bride”).

By next spring, Spectacle will be heading west. In the meantime, the band is putting together releases that they announce on their Facebook page. To get some sneak peeks of what’s to come, check out theirSoundCloud. The band also has an Instagram.

*originally published at AXS. 

Some children do not grow penises until they are 12 years old

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In the village of Salinas in the Dominican Republic, one in 90 girls possess a rare genetic disorder that causes them to become boys at puberty. Known as guevedoces, or penis at 12, the children are born with external genitalia that appear female but...

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Some genetically male children do not grow penises until they are 12 years old. In the Dominican Republic, these children are recognized as Guevedoces (which literally means “penis at 12”). Throughout their childhood, they look, for the most part, like little girls. However, when they hit puberty, they begin to develop more male features, including a penis and testes.

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IFLScience reports Sept. 21 that the phenomenon is due to what is medically known as 5-alpha-reductase deficiency, a condition that affects male sexual development pre-birth and into puberty. Genetically, children with the deficiency are male but their bodies have not produced enough dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which impedes the development of external sexual organs.

BBC News reports about a child -- once named Felicita, now named Johnny -- who, like many other Guevedoces from his small village, has been brought up as a girl. Johnny’s transition has been a rough one. When he was younger, he never liked wearing girl clothes or doing girl things after he turned 7. He wanted to dress like and play with the boys. Then, when fellow students began bullying him because of the change he went through at puberty, he felt that he had to take action: “They used to say I was a devil, nasty things, bad words and I had no choice but to fight them because they were crossing the line," he said.

In the village of Salinas, there are many children going through similar transitions. It is estimated that 1 in 90 genetically male children have been brought up as girls until puberty when their external organs begin to develop. These children, when born, have what looks like vaginas. Until puberty, it is difficult to tell the difference.

British television journalist Dr. Michael Mosely writes that a team filming for the BBC2 series Countdown to Life, a program that “looks at the consequences of normal, and abnormal, developments in the womb,” found Johnny.

One of the first people to study the deficiency was Dr. Julianne Imperato, an endocrinologist at Cornell University. She had heard rumours about girls turning into boys in small villages of the Dominican Republic. She traveled there and learned that the phenomenon was due to a deficiency in 5-α-reductase which are enzymes involved in steroid metabolism and which normally convert testosterone into DHT. In the case of Guevedoces, until their bodies develop more testosterone during puberty they are also not fully developed as males.

Mosely writes that “Apart from being slightly undersized everything works and the Guevedoces normally live out their lives as men, albeit with wispy beards and small prostates.”

By chance, Merck, an American pharmaceutical company, found Dr. Imperato’s research and have developed a drug called finasteride. The drug, which blocks 5-α-reductase, is used to treat non-cancerous prostate enlargement and male pattern baldness.

*originally published on the now defunct Examiner.com

According to experts, genocide can be prevented with aid of new warning system

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"History teaches us that mass atrocities are preventable," United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

The Simon-Skjodt Center for the Prevention of Genocide at the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C. has a new initiative which sets out to prove that mass killings are preventable. The Museum has created an online tool which will provide information based on statistical analysis and expert feedback to the public. The system aims to warn government officials, policy makers, advocacy groups and scholars of possible atrocities so that they can concert their efforts and keep such events from happening.

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According to experts, data from past genocides, crimes against humanityand war crimes such as the ones that occurred in Darfur, Bosnia, Rwanda, Germany and Eastern Europe have provided clear early warning signs preceding mass violence. GoDanRiver.com on Sept. 21 cites Cameron Hudson, director at the Simon-Skjodt Center: "Tracking those indicators in at-risk countries around the world will, for the first time, allow us to look over the horizon to implement smarter, cheaper and more effective policies that prevent mass violence."

Atrocity crimes’ “status as international crimes is based on the belief that the acts associated with them affect the core dignity of human beings, in particular the persons that should be most protected by States, both in times of peace and in times of war,” explains the United Nations. For this reason, it’s important for officials and experts to be held accountable for the prevention of such acts.

Developers at The Simon-Skjodt Center have been testing the Early Warning Project in collaboration with the Dickey Center for International Understanding at Dartmouth College for two years. The official launch is Monday, Sept. 21.

The project has flagged numerous countries at-risk for mass killings. The top 10 are (in order): Myanmar, Nigeria, Sudan, Central African Republic, Egypt, Congo-Kinshasa, Somalia, Pakistan, South Sudan and Afghanistan.

According to Benjamin Valentino, one of the project’s creators, "Most of these countries as you go down the list have some form of civil conflict involving the government and some insurgent group or rebel group, often divided along ethnic lines, and there's a risk of violence going in either direction, either the government killing civilians or the rebel group killing civilians."

Valentino also says that though the government keeps private watch lists for mass atrocities, this is the first time this kind of data has been made fully available to the public. In the past, there were a few public programs but they were run by small groups that were “making judgements about the world.”

The Early Warning project differs from these programs, not only because it is public but also because it uses statistical data gleaned from historically logged catastrophes over the past 50 years. It also gleans from a large pool of over 100 regional and subject matter experts who address specific questions and concerns. "When we ask them to tell us which countries are at risk, we ask them to tell us exactly how at risk they are and for what kind of event, and that way we can know in the future whether their forecasts are right or wrong," Benjamin Valentino, told Associated Press.

The developers of the project say that it’s not a perfect system. Some countries may be missed and human error always comes into play. However, people will know exactly why these catastrophes are happening. With that added information, the system can be improved and those working to prevent such events will be able to hold themselves and others accountable.

*originally published on the now defunct Examiner.com

Kendrick Lamar writes inspired note honoring late hip-hop artist Tupac Shakur

Kendrick Lamar honors Tupac Shakur in inspired note posted on Tupac's official website.

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On Sept. 13, 1996, hip-hop legend Tupac Shakur died from injuries due to gunshot wounds. He was only 25 years old at the time of his death, and his killer was never caught. For many, like Kendrick Lamar, Tupac lives on as an inspiration that fuels their current work.

Case in point: Lamar’s 2015 spring release To Pimp a Butterfly ends with a song called “Mortal Man.” The track features a posthumous conversation between Tupac and himself constructed from interview sound bites. The conversation is described by the Los Angeles Times as touching and at times melancholy.

Lamar strikes again in an action that shows continued love and respect for the late Shakur. "I was 8 yrs old when I first saw you," Lamar writes on Tupac's official website Sept. 13. "I couldn’t describe how I felt at that moment. So many emotions. Full of excitement. Full of joy and eagerness. 20 yrs later I understand exactly what that feeling was...INSPIRED.”

Lamar tells Rolling Stone that he witnessed Tupac and Dr. Dre film the video for the song “California Love”, which released in 1995 on the album All Eyez on Me. Lamar was sitting on his father’s shoulders when he saw his hero rolling in to the Compton Swap Meet to make the video. Lamar has since filmed a scene for his own video “King Kunta” at the same spot.

Lamar’s note comes 19 years after Tupac’s death. “The people that you touched on that small intersection changed lives forever,” Lamar writes. “I told myself I wanted to be a voice for man one day. Whoever knew I was speaking out loud for u to listen.”

Kendrick Lamar has gone on to acquire numerous awards from his hip-hop recordings. His newest release “Allright” from To Pimp a Butterfly reminds of Tupac Shakur’s 1993 release “Keep Ya Head Up.”

*originally published at the now defunct Examiner.com

RZA to 'Breakout' as director of new prison break action-thriller

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Amasia Entertainment has closed a deal for RZA to direct the upcoming action-thriller “Breakout” with filming slated to start in early 2016. The project re-teams Amasia with RZA, who stars in the company’s “Mr. Right” as a marksman opposite Sam Rockwel...

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In his third stint behind the camera, Wu-Tang Clan architect RZA will direct a new action-thriller called “Breakout.” He was recruited to helm the film by Amasia Entertainment, an independent motion picture studio which aims to start production early next year.

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Variety reports Sept. 13 that “Breakout” marks another collaboration between RZA and Amasia. Amasia’s “Mr. Right” debuts at the Toronto Film Festival Sept. 19, with RZA starring as a marksman in the film.

“Breakout” is a story about a young photographer who is falsely arrested for drug trafficking in Bangladesh. His father reaches out to two longtime friends to uncover the truth and break his son out of prison. RZA is working from a script written by “Exit Wounds” co-writer Richard D’Ovidio and collaborating writer of “The Call”, Nicole D’Ovidio.

“Breakout” is RZA’s third directorial feature. He recently completed directing Lionsgate’s upcoming film “Coco” which is currently in post-production. He also co-wrote and directed 2012’s “The Man with the Iron Fists”, and curated the soundtrack for the film which featured Kanye West, The Black Keys and Ghostface Killah.

"The multi-talented RZA has mastered the art of music, acting and filmmaking," Amasia co-founder Michael Helfant and fellow executive Bradley Gallo said. "We are ecstatic to have him behind the camera on our next project as he brings a fresh and innovative take to this international action thriller."

RZA’s work seems to be without bounds. As a music maker, curator, writer and director, one has to wonder what’s next.

*originally published on the now defunct Examiner.com

One act of kindness brought a homeless poet's work out of obscurity

Raimundo Arruda Sobrinho wrote every day on the streets of São Paulo, Brazil for 35 years and no one knew what he was writing. Then, a women named Shalla Monteiro befriended him and brought his work out of obscurity.

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Raimundo Arruda Sobrinho had been homeless for 35 years when Shalla Monteiro met him in April 2011 in São Paulo,Brazil. He lived on a street median. Raimundo called it “The Island.”

He had become known as the homeless man who sat and wrote alone in that spot everyday. He always seemed to have pen and paper in hand. Still, few knew what he was writing. “When I saw him for the first time, he gave me one of his poems. From that moment, he started to be a part of my life,” Monteiro says in a documentary about the poet.

Monteira began collecting more of Raimundo’s small poems. She wanted to know more about who Raimundo was. She became his friend.

“Writing is his passion. He writes everyday,” Monteiro says. “Raimundo always wanted to publish a book of his poems and as a person who lived in the street, it seemed impossible to him.” Still, he wrote stories and poems every single day from his wooden stool. He took up whatever scraps of paper he could find, carefully cutting them to be the same size and dating them each with a serial number.

Hope is the heaviest weight a man can carry. It is the bane of the idealist. Signed, the Conditioned.

Raimundo is 77 years old. The poet and philosopher became homeless in the late 70s and has worked diligently for half his life on the streets in obscurity. That is, until Monteiro befriended him. She was impressed with her new friend’s work and decided to start a Facebook page for the poet. She wanted to publish Raimundo’s work so that others could see it and so that Raimundo could “recognize himself as a man and an artist.”

Material hygiene. Mental hygiene. Here, I don’t know which is harder to practice. Signed, the Conditioned.

Raimundo’s Facebook page currently has more than 140,000 fans who have been touched by his story. “As a writer myself, I find this man to be a great inspiration of hope for the rest of the world,” writes Erasmo L Gusman, Sept. 11. Many others are touched by Monteiro’s actions, “Thanks to you and Raimundo for blessing so many. We must never turn away from someone we may not understand. We might be turning away from an angel,” writes Audrey Van Vliet.

In São Paulo shortly after Raimundo’s work was published on the internet, people began to pay attention. They stopped by to say hello and chat with the poet just as Monteiro had done. Many even admitted that they always had wanted to talk with him, but were afraid to do so. Among those who wanted to contact Raimundo was his long lost brother who had sent a message through the Facebook page that Monteiro had set up.

His brother had wanted to find Raimundo for more than 57 years. When he came to the island, he’d found Raimundo surrounded by trash. His brother was unkempt, his hair matted, his body dirty. He was dressed in black plastic bags. It was a shock. “I suggested that he come live with me,” he said.

Damned is the man who abandons himself. These words show that the worse the situation is, never, ever should a man consider it lost. Signed, the Conditioned.

On April 23, 2013, Raimundo left “The Island” to live with his brother and his family. Now, Raimunda is a part of his family again and with Monteiro’s help, is working to publish his book.

*originally published at the now defunct Examiner.com

Continued fossil fuel use could melt ice sheets, submerge cities, warm planet

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Total sea level rise is lower than previous estimates but the rates are accelerating. Currently more than 1 billion people live along shorelines around the world and $11 trillion in assets sit below the 100-year flood mark on coasts. Sea level rise is...

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A new study published in Science Advances journal on Friday, Sept. 11 reports that if humans continue to burn up the earth’s fossil fuels, the Antarctic ice sheet could thaw and raise the world’s sea level more than 160 feet over the course of thousands of years. The projected ice melt would submerge major coastal cities around the world as well as much of the Netherlands, Bangladesh and Florida.

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The estimated sea level increase mentioned in the study did not include glacial melting from smaller ice sheets such as Greenland’s. Reuters reports Sept. 11 that while the study described worst case scenarios, burning accessible fossil fuels is enough to cause the earth’s oceans to rise.

Further, emissions over the next 60-80 years at the current rate of fossil fuel consumption use could destabilize the ice sheet.

"What we are doing right now might change the face of the Earth for millennia to come," stated lead author Ricarda Winkelmann of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in Germany. To limit global warming, two-thirds or more of the earth’s fossil fuels would have to remain underground, the United Nation’s climate chief, Christiana Figueres told Reuters.

This news comes in the wake of a constant growth in population which according to the World Population Clock, is growing at the rate of 1.13 percent per year. There is an average population change of 80 million people each year. "If we don't stop dumping our waste carbon dioxide into the sky, land that is now home to more than a billion people will one day be under water," co-author Ken Caldeira, said in a statement.

The Institution of Mechanical Engineers reports that the world’s remaining 1.3 trillion barrels of oil will be consumed over the next forty years. “By 2040, production levels may be down to 15 million barrels per day – around 20 percent of what we currently consume. It is likely by then that the world’s population will be twice as large, and more of it industrialised (and therefore oil dependent).”

These statistics do not bode well for the future. The world’s maps could change as sea levels rise, leaving less land for the growing population. “Our study shows that if we don't leave most of the carbon in the ground, we are going to melt most of the ice on this planet,” Carnegie Institution climate scientist Caldeira says. According to the study, once the Antarctic ice sheet starts melting, sea levels could rise more than one foot per decade, resulting in over a hundred feet rise in sea levels over the course of 1,000 years.

*originally published on the now defunct Examiner.com