Earth Might Witness 'Mini Ice Age' For Next 30 Years, As The Sun About Hit Its 'Solar Minimum', Global : Today Indya

Earth Might Witness 'Mini Ice Age' For Next 30 Years, As The Sun About Hit Its 'Solar Minimum'

Global

indiatimes

According to scientists, a ‘solar minimum’ is about to grip the Earth and our planet could face cold weather and harsh snow storm for the next 30 years - a mini ice age.

Experts have pointed out that the Sun is about to enter a natural ‘hibernation’ and it might lead to food shortages among other things, as temperatures across the planet drop.

A solar minimum is a quiet period in which the Sun released less energy or heat than usual. According to NASA, the ‘Sun will reach its lowest activity in over 200 years in 2020’.

According to Northumbria University expert Valentina Zharkova, this could drop average temperatures to drop upto 1 degree C, in a cold spell lasting 12 months; it might not sound like much but it is quite a significant drop.

"The Sun is approaching a hibernation period. Less sunspots will be formed on the solar surface and thus less energy and radiation will be emitted towards the planets and the Earth." The Sun qoted Professor Zharkova, who has published multiple scientific papers on solar minimums, as saying.

Even though solar minimums are a part of Sun’s natural life cycle every 11 years, 2020’s minimum might be especially chilly as it is the start of an event known as a Grand Solar Minimum, in which energy emitted from the Sun drops even more than usual. This event occurs every 400 years or so.

According toThe Sun, Professor Zharkova warned icy spells and wet summers could persist until solar activity picks up again in 2053. She cited chills in Canada and Iceland as evidence of the Grand Solar Minimum (GSM) already taking hold.

The last GSM according to the report was the Maunder Minimum, which lasted from 1645 to 1715.

Well, it's time to brace yourselves, hardcore winter is coming.

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With Brexit done, here's what changes for UK without EU

Global

timesofindia

UK wakes up on February 1 no longer a member of the European Union. Brexit was formally completed on January 31 at 11pm GMT, but will be perhaps more accurate to call it a separation, for now, than the full divorce that UK had voted for more than three years back.

That is because, while January 31 marks the date the break-up is effected, there is time till the end of this year for finalising it, which will happen when both sides work out the terms for parting ways and the crucial matter of trade, government and people-to-people ties. The more drastic changes are thus slated for December 31, 2020, but some things nonetheless will be different going ahead.

THINGS THAT WILL CHANGE

UK can have new trade partners, but won’t want to snub EU

As soon as the UK formally leaves EU on January 31 it can start negotiating trade deals with other countries. But EU accounts for about half of UK’s trade and PM Boris Johnson will no doubt try to make sure that it is cushioned against disruption.

UK’s Brexit department shuts down

The Department for Exiting the European Union, set up by former PM Theresa May in 2016, will be disbanded. A 40-member task force based out of Downing Street will handle upcoming negotiations with EU.

British diplomats in EU

Britain’s diplomatic presence in Brussels will be re-branded and British officials’ access to EU premises and information will be reduced.

UK MEPs lose their seats

UK’s 73 members of the European Parliament, including prominent figures like Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage, will lose their seats.

UK passport to change colour

As UK leaves EU, its new passports will be going back to their traditional blue rather thanburgundy, which is recommended, but not mandated, by EU rules.

Commemorative Brexit coins

Three million commemorative 50 pence coins inscribed with the date “31 January” and the text “Peace, prosperity and friendship with all nations” will enter circulation.

Fish as bargaining chips

Britain’s financial services sector, its biggest export industry, wouldn’t want to lose easy access to the EU, which has indicated it will use the threat of restricting access as leverage for wider demands, like fishing access to UK waters.

English Premier League could take a hit

When UK voted in favour of Brexit in 2016, all 20 Premier League clubs opposed it. New regulations will likely put stricter limits on the number and eligibility of foreign players and coaches allowed in the Premier League. Foreign managers like Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola and Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp may not qualify easily for UK jobs in the future.

THINGS THAT WON’T CHANGE, AT LEAST UNTIL 2021

Living and working in the EU

During the transition phase, UK nationals will be allowed to live and work in the EU, as will EU nationals in the UK. Britons living in the EU will continue to be able to vote and contest in municipal elections.

Scotland will continue to fly EU flag

Members of the Scottish Parliament voted to continue flying the EU flag, rejecting a proposal to lower the flag after UK leaves EU.

Budget contributions to EU

UK will continue to pay into the EU budget during the transition This means existing EU schemes will continue.

WHAT HAPPENS IN NORTHERN IRELAND?

Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom, shares a border with Ireland, which is an EU member. To avoid new checks or controls on goods crossing the border between the two, UK and EU agreed that Northern Ireland will follow EU’s customs code at its airports and EU’s standards for agricultural and manufactured goods despite not formally being a part of the European bloc.

Article Original Source : https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/uk/with-brexit-done-heres-what-ch...