Global Warming = Mongol Hordes
Another reason to fear climate change: Mongol Hordes! From Scientific American:
The Mongol hordes led by Genghis Khan carved out the largest contiguous land empire history has ever witnessed, reaching at its apex from Asia's Pacific coast to eastern Europe and down into Persia and southeastern Asia. Although conventional wisdom suggests drought may have pushed them across the steppe to conquer more bountiful lands, ancient, long-dead trees discovered in a forbidding lava field in Mongolia give evidence that unprecedented rains might actually have helped fuel their expansion.
I certainly hope Ricochet's own James Delingpole is correct about this whole climate change business, but it certainly seems like a wet and warm climate made Genghis Khan's work a whole lot easier:
All in all, the research team of U.S. and Mongolian scientists sampled 17 trees....
Surprisingly, their preliminary findings based on the tree ring data suggest the Mongol empire actually rose during a time of abundant rain. These would have turned grasslands there extraordinarily lush, enabled the Mongols to raise vast numbers of horses and other livestock. "There are actually massive wetlands in the area, and during a warm, wet period, they might have been incredibly productive," Hessl says. "There's actually quite a lot of evidence that the Mongols were practicing agriculture around there in the early 1200s, contrary to this image of Mongols as only herders and these horseback hordes."
And here comes the challenge: if climate change is real, and serious, who emerges as the next Mongol Horde to take advantage of the weather?
My guess: the Swedes. They've been quiet lately. Too quiet.
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Mar '11
Re: Global Warming = Mongol Hordes
It's too bad Mr Obama wasn't around in those days - he could have prevented climate change by cutting down on American CO2 emissions.
Oh, wait...
Jul '11
Re: Global Warming = Mongol Hordes
You can only expect so much from a people who spend so much time worrying about fjords.
Swedes = We're Pretty Safe
Apr '11
Re: Global Warming = Mongol Hordes
Forget the Swedes, forget the Hipster Hordes from Portland. The real threat is obviously the Canadians. The authorities there are the "Mounties" for pete's sake. Although as rampaging hordes go, I bet they'd be the politest one in history.
Dec '10
Re: Global Warming = Mongol Hordes
Pardon me, would you mind terribly if I lopped your head off? See, the chief constable informed me that I have a quota of 25 heads a day, and so far I haven't been able to convince anyone to let me do it today. Won't hurt much, eh?
Sep '10
Re: Global Warming = Mongol Hordes
They're pining for the fjords!
May '10
Re: Global Warming = Mongol Hordes