People still believe global warming.

[Torvera]

People still "deny" basic science.

Here I thought this country was a leader in science and technology. Yet we have a population where about 40% of people pull statistics from random sources, and a sizable amount of people who believe Al Gore.

This would be one thing if people developed a hypothesis and set about to prove the theories correct. Instead what we have is a group of people--laymen who know nothing about climatology-- regurgitating what radio and TV pundits tell them, and being uncertain of basic science that has absolutely not been proven at all by experts, ever.

I'm sure the no one cares.

[Kalyyn]

There is something to be said for this. There are absolutely pants-shittingly high numbers of people who simply accept the word of Al Gore as law without even the slightest consideration as to what he's saying.

But what's sadder than that are the people who are actually somewhat knowledgeable about the topic, but will shun you as a heretic if you so much as question the ideas of global warming. They're basically 21st century witch hunters, banishing the unbelievers and blasphemers from the church of climatology.

For the record, I do believe that climate change is a very real and dangerous thing. I just think that most others who believe in climate change are idiots who happen to share my view for the wrong reasons. Also I very much dislike Al Gore and his televangelist-like approach to science.

[snorfburger]

Here I thought this country was a leader in science and technology. Yet we have a population where about 40% of people pull statistics from random sources

He cited Gallup in his thread.

Here I thought this country was a leader in science and technology.

Wait, how are you posting from the 1960s?

[Deleted]

This thread can only end well. Oh and I believe in climate change caused in part by humans. LET IT BEGIN.

[Kalyyn]

http://climate.nasa.gov/keyIndicators/

Is that good enough? Or do you not trust NASA because you think the moon landing was a "hoax".

One of us missed the point of this thread, but right now I think it was you.

[Stormspellz]

People still "deny" basic science.

Here I thought this country was a leader in science and technology. Yet we have a population where about 40% of people pull statistics from random sources, and a sizable amount of people who believe Al Gore.

This would be one thing if people developed a hypothesis and set about to prove the theories correct. Instead what we have is a group of people--laymen who know nothing about climatology-- regurgitating what radio and TV pundits tell them, and being uncertain of basic science that has absolutely not been proven at all by experts, ever.

I'm sure the no one cares.

the us is 20+ in country ranking for science and math, +1 in military spending (more then 2-9 combined), and #1 in prison spending.

[Kasierith]

When you can actually produce a legitimate scientific article disproving AGW, maybe you'll have some credibility... but wait, they tried that! Its the cause of the second wave of studies after Al Gore that further solidified the theory!

[Handlebardoc]

No one realizes why this thread is here? Though I must say, when I read the OP I was laughing rather hard.

I give you:

People still deny global warming

[Underverse]

Well, I agree that you shouldn't believe something unless you have enough evidence.

But climate change/global warming is certainly real and a problem, and is caused at least in part by humans.




Summary of climate change for policy makers (concludes anthropogenic (human-driven) effect) (2007): http://www.slvwd.com/agendas/Full/20...Item%2010b.pdf

Predicted wind changes due to anthropogenic climate change (2011): http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/1...nticated=false

Changes in rainfall due to anthropogenic greenhouse gases (2011): http://www.nature.com/nature/journal...ATURE-20110217

Communicating climate change between science and the public (2011): http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&...change&f=false

The rough guide to climate change (compilation of evidence) (2012): http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&...change&f=false

Impact of anthropogenic climate change on ocean systems (2012): http://www.springerlink.com/content/w04t7351812t426v/

[Deleted]

I think it's pretty ignorant to claim that humanity does not have some effect upon the climate when we do so much visible damage to other natural cycles. Whether it's minor or major remains to be seen.

[aekya]

We are a short lived race that has only begun to walk straight, and after millenia with our eyes closed we only now start to look at the world, and there is sooo much we dont understand... with our new technologies we find huge changes that we never noticed before and assume they are new and not simply a part of a far bigger cycle... And we understand nothing. Like a teenager who finally starts questioning, most of what he thinks he assumes to be revolutionary and new and never thought before, only to find out how wrong he was a couple of years later...

Climate change (thats the new name btw, not global warming that much anymore) is real, the question is, is it cause by human activity? and more importantly, does it mean fuckall to us as a civilization?
From all the information i can gather, no... On small scale? yes, on the whole? i dont believe so.

Most of the increases in temperature are due to solar activity which has pretty predictable patterns btw, during pole shifts solar activity is increased, which causes the current heat waves, check climate records and you will notice patterns, repetition

Never though how odd it is when you hear "biggest storm in 100 years, highest temperatures in 80 years" with such alarming tones... yet, it just means that 100, or 80 years ago, they were that high... so how exactly is it any worst now?

Fossil and ice records show that the planet has gone into several ice ages, which are preceded by really hot periods, infact, in the 50s there was a "ice age approaching" panic, and it is true that we should be entering a new ice age in the next couple hundred years if the cycle repeats as it has for ages.

Another interesting thing is water levels... it always bugged me how it works, besides it surely happened before as i said, its a cycle, but anyway, there is this very interesting article which was in scientific american a couple years ago, in which it clearly says that several researchers have evidence that the water levels were actually lower during hot periods, when there was no ice caps, lower, not higher.

Either way, it will surely affect us as a race, as a species, as a society, it is happening although likely not due to anything we have done, and most likely there is nothing we can do to stop it.
Then we see ideas that are close to criminal, such as pumping the atmosphere full of sulphur to stop "them nasty heat rays", or building gigantic space deflectors... how can we even begin to imagine the impact of THOSE things in the world :S
Again with the teenager analogy, its like we finally bought a mirror and saw our pimples and we decided we should use sandpaper to take them away.... its simple a natural part, a cycle and what we are trying to do to prevent it, is likely going to make it far worst...

[Sam the Wiser]

Don't we have a thread on this going already?

[Caiada]

Welcome to (the greater, denser public's interpretation of) all science, ever. Laymen are too dumb to get it; scientists make conclusions for us. Enjoy your stay in the world of helpful ignorance.

[enterharry]

The beauty of science is that it doesn't matter what people BELIEVE.

[Mythricia]

Your argument differs from mine therefore your must be wrong and you must also think mine is wrong.

Sometimes I wonder if there's even a point in posting on public forums any more, it's a futile effort in trying to share opinion or educate, it's more an exercise in being desperately disagreed with no matter your stance, and nothing actually comes out of it in the end.

On topic; the climate is changing, that's easy to see, we also certainly have an effect on the climate, that's simple and basic physics, but the question is how much and how big a deal it is over what time frame. Why people get so caught up in the arbitrary "global warming VS no global warming" discussion is beyond me. Neither is right or wrong, because there's only one fact; climate changes do happen, we do affect the climate, but neither of those two things are easily quantifiable right now. which just means people should focus on trying to figure out exactly what it all means in the long run, instead of arguing whether it's happening or not. It is. Not saying it's because of us, but, that's not really the important part is it?

[Unlimited Power]

I see what you did there.. Read some of the original thread as well, and I remember seeing the exact OP in that thread.

Good one.

[Cthulhu 2020]

Oh I get it, the OP is being ironic.

[Deleted]

What I fail to understand from these debates is does it matter either way?

The people that cling to logic and say its just weather cycles etc global warming is a myth, what about looking at it a different way. The way we treat the planet from things such as industrial pollution, the many millions of cars people drive every day etc etc is it not "Logical" to conclude that all this abuse of the planet will not create some yet unseen problems. Why is it not wise for us to be concerned with what we do regardless of any currently proven or unproven theory's on the consequences of our actions/inaction?

You say "global warming is fiction" I say "I do not care if global warming is fact or fiction. I do on the other hand care about creating bad unforeseen events that could have been prevented."

Sorry my English skills are somewhat lackluster I hope you understand my point of view.

[oblivionx]

I'm guessing it's the "took earth science in high school because physics was teh hard" crew of people.

[Pendulous]

I don't see a point in having two threads on the same thing. You can just as easily present your opinion in the other thread.