Is James Inhofe Shilling For God, or Oil? The Correct Answer is “Both”
hoaxbook.jpg Last week, we were treated to one of those facepalm moments that make those of us who care about the future of planet intensely frustrated. Or worse. Senator James…
science
Fox News’s Attacks on Climate Science Now Include The Denial of Basic Physics
varneybastardi.jpg There was a time, believe it or not, when Fox New’s Shepard Smith openly mocked global warming deniers—seriously comparing them to a man who got stuck in a portable…
The Harper Government’s Approach To Scientists: Control The Pests
* Although Rick Mercer treats the current situation regarding control of scientists and their tax-payer funded research in Canada with humour, unfortunately it is no laughing matter when the government…
Can Geeks Defeat Lies? Thoughts on a Fresh New Approach to Dealing With Online Errors, Misrepresentations, and Quackery
fact check universe.png This afternoon, I’ll be at MIT for this conference, sponsored by the Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard and the MIT Center for Civic Media…
Conservative war on truth escalates
The Conservative government made another assault on the gathering of facts with its announcement that it is closing the Polar Environment Atmospheric Research Lab (PEARL) in Canada’s High Arctic. Its…
Don’t Blame the Victims: Why Public Outreach By Climate Scientists is More Vital Than Ever
speakout.jpg In the last few years—and especially in the wake of the ClimateGate pseudo-scandal—climate researchers have become much more politically engaged. They’ve sought to become better at communication, and to…
New Data: 81 Percent of Climate Deniers Think Scientists Are In It “For Their Own Interests"
logo_brookings.gif The Brookings Institution has a new report out on the public's views about global warming, and most commentators are going for the predictable headline. It's this: Following the post-ClimateGate…
Divide and Profit
Everett: You can’t take the tar sands out of the climate equation – The Globe and Mail #cdnpoli #tarsands If the world is an unchanging variable, constant, then the latest…
A Call to Support Michael Mann
hockeybookmann.jpg I've been a great ally of my latest Point of Inquiry guest Michael Mann, and even called him a climate hero. I've blurbed his new book, saying the following:…
We’ve Been Messin’ Where We Shouldn’t Have Been A-Messin’
Climate change, You Scary: In which Hank Green details the five scariest things that will likely happen because of climate change. * Find the Sci Show: Where the science goes…
James Inhofe Takes the Climate Conspiracy Theory to New Heights—While His Home State Reels from Record Heat
hoaxbook.jpg James Inhofe, Republican Senator from Oklahoma, has a new book out. It is entitled The Greatest Hoax: How the Global Warming Conspiracy Threatens Your Future. I have not read…
Teach safe sex
I was sent this neat info-graphic that discusses the need for comprehensive sex ed in the USA. We can be a bit more smug here in Canada, but we must…
Want to Improve Science Communication? Start with Bad PowerPoint Habits
bad powerpoint.jpg In the past three months, I’ve spoken on panels at two scientific mega-conferences—the American Geophysical Union’s Fall Meeting in San Francisco, which draws tens of thousands of scientists,…
I’m A Climate Scientist
After the last week’s revelations and counter-revelations regarding the Heartland Institute’s campaign against climate science and climate scientists, here’s an appropriate reminder (language warning!) * Don’t forget to go to…
Rick Santorum, Attacking Scientists, Claims He’s not Anti-Science
Rick-Santorum3-460×307.jpg Rick Santorum is becoming the anti-science gift that keeps on giving. Yesterday, while speaking in his home state, the former Pennsylvania senator once again tilted at the idea of…
More Light Shed On Origin And Veracity Of Heartland Documents
Dr. Peter Gleick is the co-founder and president of the Pacific Institute in Oakland, California. His bio states that he is a hydroclimatologist by training, with a B.S. from Yale…
Letter from the trenches
I have received a letter from a student who obtained his doctoral degree with me a few years ago, and after one postdoctoral appointment decided that their heart was really…
Heartland Institute: Funded To Spread Misinformation About Climate Change
The Heartland Institute is a right-wing “think-tank” that describes itself as a “devoted to discovering, developing, and promoting free market solutions to social and economic problems.” However, as DeSmogBlog has…
DenialGate – Climate Change Deniers Take a Major Blow
You may have heard about Climategate, the stolen emails that showed some scientists were so concerned about climate change that they were willing to distort their findings so they would…
This is my SOS to the world
A tiny community called out to world. And the world answered. Foreign aid arrived in Canada courtesy environmental organizations which, if you’ll remember, dear Reader, are “radical groups” with “radical…