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ShiftlessGuardian94 t1_iw1i20k wrote

This is interesting. I’m curious as to what information they’ve found and what it means for weather patterns as a whole over the past Two Centuries.

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adviceKiwi t1_iw2g1b6 wrote

Is there anything in this, the article was just too long.

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ShiftlessGuardian94 t1_iw2g9wb wrote

The tldr is they are using old whaling logs to help understand middle of the ocean weather/climate patterns from around 200 years ago. Creating a larger scale picture of how the climate and weather are changing over time.

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Tidesticky t1_iw20vti wrote

Between these records and the British naval records I would think they might come up with a decent 19th century baseline.

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Katamariguy t1_iw2pjme wrote

Episode 559 of This American Life starts with writer Erik Larson talking about how boring the typical ship's log is, no matter how exciting the voyage. Meteorological data is probably the most interesting thing they have to offer.

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thx1138inator t1_iw3o1sj wrote

Uff can confirm. Started keeping a ships log early on a sailing trip. Gave up pretty quick. Other shit to do aboard.

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JoWiBro t1_iw2isrl wrote

Took my early morning brain way too long to understand what a wailing "log" was.

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mickandproudofit t1_iw2rdk8 wrote

Mine read it as logo and was very confused as to how a logo could tell us anything about climate, log makes much more sense.

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Herzyr t1_iw3g28q wrote

Interesting how something kept for insurance turned out to be a window into the weather from 200 years ago.

This gives a archeology vibe indeed, in how every object has a story to tell, if preserved accordingly, what is the time set for when it becomes archeology? Beyond living memory?

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HuntOk1001 t1_iw5mzst wrote

So you are using 200 year old documentation of wind rates… that’s great but I’ll take a shot in the dark and tell you they aren’t very reliable to use. “The great sea blew us 4 stars south” compared to today “We traveled on average 2 knots today by wind” uhh

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AHind_D t1_iw1ttaf wrote

Can't wait to see how much we change as a society after learning more about climate change from centuries old whaling logs. Life is about to be totally different. Just watch.

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srky19 t1_iw2gri3 wrote

For an "instant" generation that wants EVERYTHING and wants it NOW, you're right, this will not make an impact. Fortunately, there are still people who think in long term around.

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AHind_D t1_iw4h05c wrote

I'm sure this information will have a significant affect on humanity. It probably won't be while I'm alive but almost certainly it will be long into the future when you and I are dead and can't verify if it had any affect at all. Almost certainly! Anything is possible in the future! Who can argue with that?

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Katamariguy t1_iw2psqy wrote

r/history user thinks history is useless

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AHind_D t1_iw2tdbh wrote

I said nothing of the sort. I've expressed nothing except excitement about this discovery!

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