Boffins claim virgin prize

'Null Hypothesis Journal of Unlikely Science' have come up with a solution to the challenge of removing at least one billion tonnes of CO2

Less than a month after Richard Branson and his pal Al "who forgot to turn the lights off" Gore waved a wadge of cash in front the worlds scientists, three clever clogs representing the 'Null Hypothesis Journal of Unlikely Science' have come up with a solution to the challenge of removing at least one billion tonnes of CO2 a year from the atmosphere. Breathtaking in it's simplicity the answer to reducing global warming is: "breathe less".

The claim by M. D. Steer, H. Birch and A. J. Impey, proposes that "If we each merely cut out one breath in three, we could decrease the amount of CO2 entering the atmosphere each year by a staggering 0.63 gigatonnes. That's 0.63 billion tonnes - the same effect as saving 5 million acres of land (an area the size of Wales) from deforestation, or recycling 192 million tonnes of waste instead of trashing it."

They go on to demonstrate that, contrary to popular belief, physical exercise contributes significantly to global warming, saying:

"When we undertake strenuous exercise our metabolic rate tends to increase by at least 50%." Adding, "if we exercised as we were supposed to - about 30 minutes, five times a week - this would add up to another 1.3kg a year. Across the world population, that's a lung-busting 14 million tonnes of extra CO2 every year."

There is growing hope within the Virgin group that if RB remains silent for long enough he may be able to off-set all those emissions from Virgin "fly me to the moon and leave me there" Galactic.

And just in case anyone is thinking, "at last - a scientifically proven reason not to go to the gym". Just stop and take a deep breath. Let's give the last word to Steer, Birch and Impey: "the amount of carbon dioxide you would save by not exercising is nothing compared to what you'd save by running somewhere instead of driving."

[http://www.null-hypothesis.co.uk/science/strange-but-true/profs-probings/carbon_virgin_earth_climate_breathing]


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