Studying for my Earth and Ocean Sciences bio-oceanography class. Thought some of you might find the following facts interesting...

Atmospheric CO2 concentrations were 275ppm before the Industrial Revolution.
Atmospheric CO2 concentrations were 315ppm in 1960.
Atmospheric CO2 concentrations were 380ppm in 2007.
Atmospheric makeup: 0.035% CO2 (a significant greenhouse gas)
Should CO2 ever reach even 1% of Earth's atmosphere, it would bring the surface temperature of the planet to boiling point.
The ocean has absorbed fully half of all fossil carbon released since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. (Scott Doney, Woodshole Oceanographic Institue)
“Much of the carbon dioxide given off from the burning of fossil fuels goes into the ocean, where it changes the acid balance of seawater. The repercussions for marine life may be enormous” (Scott Doney, Woodshole Oceanographic Institue)
The oceans house 99% of Earth's biosphere, 98% of Earth's water, and 71% of Earth's surface.

I apologise for not presenting it in a more thorough manner, but I'm busy studying, and I thought these facts were pretty compelling.

You should note that the above are all FACTS, with the exception of one opinion, which is still valid ("The repercussions for marine life MAY be enormous"). That being said, they are JUST facts, and do not automatically validate any theories they may be associated with.

Edit - some scholarly and nonscholarly related links
The Wikipedia entry on global warming (because I'm lazy). [link]
The Keeling curve, proof of a recent (this century) anthropogenic increase in CO2 levels. [link]
The history of Earth's warming and cooling: [link]
Intro to humans' global impact: [link]
Scientific American article on original human global impact: [link]
Scholarly scientific journal on original human global impact: [link]
650,000 years of greenhouse gas concentrations (note that previous records for CO2 NEVER went above 300ppm, and we're currently above 380ppm) [link]

DISCLAIMER: I am NOT saying "ZOMG HUMANS HAVE DOOMED THE WORLD WE'RE ALL GONNA BURN UP." I am simply trying to represent the scientific community that acknowledges that the average global temperature IS increasing, and that there IS a human influence. I am NOT saying that it's certain to progress to a mass extinction, or anything like that.

Also, I'm trying to study for my university finals, and this kind of helps while giving me a break at the same time.

EDIT 2

My apologies for arguing some incorrect data: the following I've asserted is incorrect.
- The recent global warming trend is NOT the fastest EVER recorded. It is the fastest warming trend ever recorded in at LEAST the past 2000 years, which I am certain of (it extends further back, but I haven't been able to locate data sources on it).
- Increases in global temperature has NOT been many degrees Celsius. It has only been approximately one degree Celsius, which doesn't seem like much, but is more than it has ever changed before in the past 2000 years.

New data:

According to updated data provided in my biology class based on ice core atmospheric CO2 records, presently (2007) at 380ppm, is the HIGHEST level in 20 MILLION YEARS.

CO2 levels ranged between 180 and 300ppm, and average maximums were previously approximately 300ppm, never higher. 380ppm is a 30% higher value (NOT an insignificant high, but VERY significant).

It IS anthropogenic. That is, the 30% higher difference in CO2 compared to previous highs is due to humans.

Why is this a big deal? Possible (but not certain) consequences...

Acidification of the ocean caused by increased uptake of CO2 --> destruction of marine biochemical balance
Causes global warming, which in turn causes climate change, producing new climate extremes --> more hurricanes, harsher winters, hotter summers
Climate change, directly or indirectly (eg. climate change due to meteor impact or volcanic eruptions), was the cause of the K-T extinction (extinction of the dinosaurs, 85% of all species extinct), Permian extinction (96% of all marine species extinct/75% of all land species extinct), as well as the Cambrian, Ordovician, and Devonian extinctions.
Research by Mann and Jones in 2003 show that the recent exponential global warming trend (since 1800 - Industrial Revolution - human population has increased from <1 billion to 10 billion since then) deviating from the long-term cooling trend is fastest seen since at least the beginning of modern history (0 AD)
Updated data from Mauna Loa station records correlated exponential rise in global temperature with increasing atmospheric CO2
Increased glacial melting and introduction of freshwater to the Atlantic, slowing the North Atlantic deep water and crippling the Gulf Stream --> rapid cooling in Europe (mini-ice age, the inspiration for and inaccurately depicted in the Day After Tomorrow)
Accumulating evidence showing climate change affecting organisms (eg. migration cues, previous habitat made unsuitable, destruction of habitat, disruption of mating seasons and animal sexual maturity cues, disruption of blooming->disruption of feeding/migration, disruption of egg-laying...)
Should warming trend continue, sea levels are expected to continue rising, hitting 100% rise in sea level before 2020 (2005 research by Meehl et al.)
The Permian extinction (96% of all life died out) was specifically caused by a dramatic increase in CO2 levels, following which O2 levels dropped and oceans became anoxic - some scientists wonder if this could happen again.
There have been five mass extinctions in ancient recorded history, and many biologists believe that we are in a sixth human-caused mass extinction (United Nations science report in 2006), which is accelerated by global warming and subsequent climate change
-ratite extinctions following human arrival in Madagascar
-N. American mammalian extinctions 10 000 years ago due to human arrival from Asian with Clovis-point technology
-consensus that Pleistocene extinctions were caused or greatly influenced by humans (Pough et al, 2005)
-general rate of extinction has increased in historical (human) times, possible correlation
-extinction the passenger pigeon, dodo, Eskimo curlew
-destruction of the St. Matthew Island reindeer herd (from 6000 to 42 in less than four years)
-extinction/threatening of global amphibian species by spread of disease (Chytrid fungus, used in pregnancy tests)
-habitat destruction threatens ~75% of threatened species and introduction of species by man threatens ~50% of threatened species














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