Grab a bottle of water and get ready for the next battle between science-deniers and “the doom and gloom,” to swipe a favorite phrase of George Bush the elder.
The world’s supply of groundwater held in 37 major underground aquifers is under severe stress, according to a new study based on NASA satellite data. Here’s what that looks like:
Aquifers give humans around 35 percent of our water. More humans mean more water pumped out of global bath tubs; more global warming means more evaporates and more need for groundwater. Of course, that’s just what a bunch of “scientists” say.
If you’re interested in the science and the methods NASA used to figure all this out, there’s a clear summary in The Washington Post. This is my favorite sentence in the study: “Groundwater pumping is a perturbation to the natural system that disrupts the long-term equilibrium state.” Translation: God’s giant aquifers are pissed.
If you’re interested in what a water shortage is like, look at California. Here’s the national drought map:
Again, this is all stuff from scientists. When the water-deniers unleash their response, get ready for some perturbation.
[Also by Dick Meyer: Humorlessness in politics]
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