The world's getting dimmer!

According to the New York Times (registration required, or go to news.google.com and search "nytimes science") the world is seeing less sunshine than it was in the late 50's. Lots less.

In the second half of the 20th century, the world became, quite literally, a darker place.

Defying expectation and easy explanation, hundreds of instruments around the world recorded a drop in sunshine reaching the surface of Earth, as much as 10 percent from the late 1950's to the early 90's, or 2 percent to 3 percent a decade. In some regions like Asia, the United States and Europe, the drop was even steeper. In Hong Kong, sunlight decreased 37 percent.

They say they don't know for sure the cause, but I think its pretty obvious this is because of pollution (and the article does allude to this later on.)

What suprised me most were claims that air pollution is clearing up in many parts of the world. I thought we were dumping more crap into the atmosphere than ever! I suppose the worst effects of pollution stay localized.

Given the state of the world it'll keep getting dimmer until - LIGHTS OUT!

You gotta admit though nothing is static for long, and the balance does move. So if it seems to get dimmer at one point maybe it's because it's a busy time for industry. Then they find a way to improve the way they're doing things, and it starts to clear up. Let's have a little faith in society. I think we want a beautiful world. Our eyes open when things get down and bad, and we work ourselves back to up and at em.

Originally posted by Duff Man

What suprised me most were claims that air pollution is clearing up in many parts of the world. I thought we were dumping more crap into the atmosphere than ever! I suppose the worst effects of pollution stay localized.

Well there are the bans on CFCs etc which could account for some of it I guess. Also local bans on lots of things like anthracite.

On a side note, an area 30 secs away from my house has some of the highest air pollution levels in Ireland. Its also co-incidentally a few hundred yards from Intel's European manufacturing base

This is all disinformation. The sun has increased in brightness over 14% in the last few years. I haven't looked for any other information for this year yet.

By telling everyone this on the news, people will believe it because they trust what they are told is true.
Just look for yourself.

This is all being done for a reason. Maybe to justfy Bush's enviromental record or to cover up the earth changes.

In reality we are experiancing just the opposit. imo

The more people make an issue about the global warming and earth changes the more disinfo we will see.

We all could be up to our necks with water and they would still tell us the ice caps haven't melted.

I'm not saying you are wrong because I have no evidence either way, but just because the sun is getting brighter, does not mean that the light we receive from it is increasing.
Changes in the atmosphere could be causing less light to get through.