Aforementioned: aphorisms and questions for 2015

Co2: a  miracle, not too retentive of radiant heat, stable in the atmosphere for a millennium,  perfect without us. So far as life on earth is concerned carbon dioxide is a miracle gas. It captures some radiant heat, but nothing like as much as water and methane, both of which are very short lived in the atmosphere relative to carbon dioxide. On the other hand its long retention in the atmosphere means that overall, temperature will only fluctuate very slowly. The gas even offers some protection to the biosphere in the face of changes to the earth's axis, the ellipsis of its orbit, and the gradual increase in the sun's radiant power.

The biosphere has evolved an almost unbelievably complex carbon cycle to maintain the balance of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere within the incredibly narrow range that is conducive to life on earth. With astounding arrogance and stupidity we have upset that balance by pumping vastly too much carbon dioxide into the biosphere. We now have no choice but to work with nature to restore that balance as quickly as possible.