Passing the torch: why the eons-old truce between humans and fire has burst into an age of megafires, and what can be done about it.

From: American Scholar | Date: March 22, 2008| Author: | Copyright information

The Olympics traditionally open with a fire ceremony. A torch kindled by natural sources (the sun reflects off a mirror onto the torch), and hence a pure fire, is passed from Olympia, the site of the ancient games, to wherever the modern games are to take place. Last year, nature seemed determined to return the gesture, as record-shattering blazes swept over Greece and even reached the ruins of Olympia itself.

These megafires came in three waves, each more savage than the last. The first outbreak commenced in late June and continued into July and most spectacularly burned ...

Read all of this article with a FREE trial to HighBeam Research

Related newspaper, magazine, and trade journal articles from HighBeam Research

(Including press releases, facts, information, and biographies)

White House vs. greenhouse: will the president listen to industry's hot air on the global-warming treaty?
; ...believe in global warming? Well, if...evidence of global warming, why is President...that cause global warming? The oil...to address global warming would be quite...small band of global-warming skeptics from...influence on global climate. ...
Letters to the Editor about global warming.(EDITORIAL)(Editorial)
; ...Monitor series, Global-warming skeptics: a closer...the effects of global climate change. Consider...significantly to global warming. Like any real...degree of accuracy. Global climate change must be...to think that global warming can be predicted...hype ...
Global warming: ; Fiddling while Earth melts
; ...doesn't believe in global warming. Maybe then it would...climate. "You talk about global warming," Underwood said...something as complex as the global climate, there is a scary and...alarmed, and he added: "Global warming was real, and we were...scientists dispute ...
DOCTORS TURN FOCUS TO GLOBAL WARMING SEATTLE PHYSICIANS JOIN NATIONAL EFFORT TO CALL ON PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES TO TAKE STANDS ON THE ISSUE.(News)
; Global warming threatens water shortages and deterioration...control, is turning its attention to global warming. Seattle doctors recently joined with...drought and flooding associated with global warming could devastate the state's agricultural industry. A federal assessment of ...
Global warming belief is beginning to dawn
; ...for Al Gore's global warming cri de coeur...known about global warming to do anything...referred to global warming as an established...challenge of global climate change," Bush...assessment of global warming because it relies...influence on global ...
INHOFE OBJECTS TO CLINTON'S GLOBAL WARMING PROPOSALS
; ...OBJECTS TO CLINTON'S GLOBAL WARMING PROPOSALS WASHINGTON...puts of the unratified Global Warming Treaty. The President...unilaterally implementing the Global Warming agreement is wrong...supporting action on global warming is 'unequivocal.'He...what is happening in ...
Blowing cold air on global warming
; ...in the U.S. Senate contribute to global warming? No one really knows for sure, since...and Inhofe are polar opposites on global warming. Boxer is a 10-alarm believer in human-caused climate change. She thinks global warming is the challenge of our generation...when addressing huge ...
EVENT RALLIES STUDENTS TO FIGHT GLOBAL WARMING
; ...presentations about global climate change and then...to deal with global warming. That's the...unanimity that global warming is real and...the crisis of global warming is happen to...something about global climate change, he said...looked into ...
Let's get to work against global warming
; ...who want us to ignore global warming are running short on rhetoric...points to human effects on global climate. "But what about the latest...representative admits global warming is a concern, but Thomas...of evidence supporting global warming and our contribution ...
Global warming: it's not the weather.(MURPHY'S LAW)
; ...doubting the validity of global warming. So what if scientists from...with a report stating that global climate change is a reality. I spent...in a meat packing plant. Global warming? No way. A winter snow storm...according to the PEW Center on Global Climate Change. ...