Rich, you have posted a perfect example of the problem. Look at the newsmax article. It contains a pretty and simple graph. The gray area is where the temperature is predicted to be and the black line is where the temperature actually is. Anyone, especially members of the lay public, can understand it. (Whether the graph is accurate or actually reflects the findings is beside the point). Now reread the first paragraph of the actual science article. Do you think any member of the lay public got past the first paragraph? Scientists are between a rock and a hard spot, they have to write their findings like that in order to get accepted by their peers. They have explain in minute detail their method and findings. But if they write it like that the lay public won't get past the first paragraph. That is probably how those 14,000 articles were written. Science and the general population are disconnected. We need another Carl Sagan to bridge the gap.
" (Whether the graph is accurate or actually reflects the findings is beside the point). "
I must disagree Joan, it is exactly the point and the problem, it is question of integrity, the fraud being perpetrated is by individuals and groups that are misrepresenting the science, not the scientists. Anyone living near sea level is aware that sea level has gone up, it is a stark reality, places along the east and west coast are seeing flooding simply because high tides are significantly higher. Seattle for instance wants to ban the export of all coal and oil from its ports. When "scientists" working for oil, gas, and coal falsely discredit and misrepresent data that contradicts their gestalt they are hurting the credibility of science in general. As Plait points out they have published no science of their own, they only run add campaigns about how safe and responsible their practices are. In Arkansas, the latest clean-up was washing leaked butiman oil down storm drains and into wetlands. My personal favorite was blaming increased temp on increased solar activity during solar minimum.
Rich, you have posted a perfect example of the problem.Â
Look at the newsmax article. It contains a pretty and simple graph. The gray area is where the temperature is predicted to be and the black line is where the temperature actually is. Anyone, especially members of the lay public, can understand it.  (Whether the graph is accurate or actually reflects the findings is beside the point).
Now reread the first paragraph of the actual science article. Do you think any member of the lay public got past the first paragraph? Scientists are between a rock and a hard spot, they have to write their findings like that in order to get accepted by their peers. They have explain in minute detail their method and findings. But if they write it like that the lay public won't get past the first paragraph.Â
That is probably how those 14,000 articles were written. Science and the general population are disconnected. We need another Carl Sagan to bridge the gap.
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