Physical evidence reveals that centuries of slow creeping climate variations have actually been punctuated by far more rapid changes while this new paradigm represents a significant shift in our picture of earths past the real question is what it means for our future. As scientists carefully search for clues in the sun and storm patterns from our distant past they are gradually writing a new history of earths climate layers extracted from cores drilled into glaciers and ice sheets sediments collected from the shores of lakes and oceans and growth rings exposed in ancient corals and trees all tell the same surprising story. Climate crash abrupt climate change and what it means for our future john d cox joseph henry press washington dc april 2005 215 viii pages. From the past it is clear the future will bring surprises we dont anticipate and abrupt climate changes for which mankind is ill prepared loading the atmosphere with carbon and methane is pulling the tail of the dragon of global warming which will rear up to devour us the final chapter examines some of the climate change events which are causing the droughts floods and hurricanes the melting ice and glacier break up we experience today. Climate crash abrupt climate change and what it means for our future john d cox joseph henry press washington dc april 2005 215 viii pages