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Understanding science

Discussion in 'Environmental Discussion' started by tochatihu, Jul 27, 2015.

  1. tochatihu

    tochatihu Senior Member

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    Not restricted to 'environmental', but the readers are here :)

    Unless your employment depends on it you are not obliged to understand math, physics, chemistry, biology, etc.

    Maybe your school teachers in these subjects were bad, not engaging, or just boring. If so, I am sorry. It is not uncommon.

    But here you are, live adults, and (based on hanging around PC), with some amount of free time.The best I can say is that, if you equip yourself with this understanding it will become much harder for anyone (me, or take your pick) to pull the wool over your eyes.

    Does CO2 absorb infrared and dump the energy as heat? Yes, but that level of understanding is beneath you. There are details. Does water vapor do the same? Yes. Even better. But there are more details.

    Can water vapor in the atmosphere increase (or decrease) over an isothermal earth? One is first inclined to say no, but that is just the 'front end'. The back end is total global rain and snowfall.

    How large are Milankovitch cycles in terms of solar loading to the earth? Not very large. You can know this. Yet in the last few million years they have caused (or at least been correlated with) deep glacial cycles. This did not occur earlier when CO2 was higher (not yet pulled down by those suicidal photosynthesizing plants). This is suggestive but not iron clad.

    Does the ocean absorb most of any extra heat that may arrive? You betcha. How could it not? You can know this.What happens then?

    Now we arrive at an interesting point where you, getting equipped with science, realize that global climate models are perhaps less than they are cracked up to be. Earth's recent temperature, by near-ground-level thermometers, has had ups and downs not closely correlated with +CO2. What's up with that?

    However, my aim here is broader than climate models. I want PC participants to become science giants. When somebody tells you that your BBQ causes global warming, you will realize that it matters whether you are burning propane or wood/charcoal. Not enormously, but the carbon sources are different.

    When someoone tells you that something with a 100-year average return cycle happened 2 years ago, so you have 98 years 'in the clear', you will know better.

    Too many examples to mention, but the point is knowing about science makes you fireproof to extreme (media) claims, whether they are 'doomy' or 'everything will be great'. The tough part is, not I nor anyone can do this for you. A purely personal quest.

    I want y'all to become science superheroes, Your school teachers may not have given a flip, but that is behind us. Crack a book. Ask a question. PC is not even the best place to do that on the internet.

    Dare I say that? Well, yes.
     
  2. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    Well this is a challenge:
    I don't know but when I saw the cyclical pattern in sea level and length of day, it really made me wonder. I've started to look at phase angle, sea level and length of day, but it makes sense to add the Keeling curve. Then comes the fun part, the math model.

    BTW, I appreciate the 'suicidal plant' description of carboniferous plants bringing on the subsequent ice ages. Good to know ours is not the only species capable of not paying attention to 'our success.' <grins>

    Bob Wilson
     
  3. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    eyes glazing over...
     
  4. tochatihu

    tochatihu Senior Member

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    Bisco is right in the sense of being quite representative of John Q. Public. Eggheads are remiss to suppose that their worldviews are commonly held.

    You gotta go with whatever fascinates you. If that makes you a bit more susceptible to getting wool pulled over your eyes, nothing can be done from this distal end of the internet.

    I only have two ways to pump this stuff up (a) make it seem interesting (b) say it's going to be on the exam.

    (b) applies to the classroom, not here.
     
  5. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    Well I'll take "egghead" but it really is hard to change a worldview. It won't be the first time I've described what I'm doing or planning to do only to see a complete lack of understanding in the eyes of others, the Cassandra effect. Often it just makes more sense to quietly do the work and explain the results later.

    Bob Wilson
     
  6. Former Member 68813

    Former Member 68813 Senior Member

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    amen, this is exactly what i was posting about lately.

    right here again. while the PC crowd is not stupid, it has the usual share of members who prove that the loudest mouth is not the best informed.
     
  7. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    most countries run by the intelligencia are subject to popular overthrow. their mistake is usually lording it over the 'little people', instead of helping them.
     
  8. KennyGS

    KennyGS Senior Member

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    In my experience, many might say that, but few actually accept it when given.
     
  9. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    you may be right, i have no experience in those countries, just what i've read. however, in the climate debate, there's nothing to give or accept. you either buy in, or you don't. unfortunately, imo, most don't.
     
  10. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    Debating with natural laws is not likely to end well:
    [​IMG]

    Bob Wilson
     
  11. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    agreed. the end is the end. we just can't see it. yet.;)
     
  12. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    anyone ever see any poll numbers, regarding american citizens, what percent think climate change is real, and something they can help change on a personal behavior level, and through political pressure on larger entities?
     
  13. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    Be sure and poll them about the Prius too.

    Bob Wilson
     
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  14. Former Member 68813

    Former Member 68813 Senior Member

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    fear mongering indeed. OMG, whooping 3 m/1000 years. if (big if) the short term trend continues. drop in the ocean compared to the big picture. essentially, ocean level didn't move much through the whole holocene, now included.

    [​IMG]
     
  15. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    Although we can measure sea level with the Jason series of satellites, it turns out there are regional effects too:
    Sea Level Trends - NOAA Tides and Currents
    [​IMG]
    Notice some of those upward arrows are in the middle of the ocean. Not a problem if a mountainous island but some are a little flatter:
    Low-lying Pacific island nation of Kiribati considers building 'floating platforms' - Telegraph

    Low-lying Pacific island nation of Kiribati considers building 'floating platforms'
    [​IMG]
    It is the stuff of science fiction films and futuristic novels, but the realities of climate change have forced the government in the low-lying Pacific archipelago of Kiribati to consider building "floating islands" for its citizens to live on as rising sea levels threaten to engulf the nation.

    This falls under "magnified minority" and "jumping to conclusions." The magnified minority is to change the scale and indicate it doesn't matter. The scale is the scale and within a human life time, say 80 years:
    • 3.2 mm/yr * 80 = 256.0 mm, ~10 inches
    But as the NOAA chart shows, the rate is not constant at every point:
    [​IMG]
    Of course this assumes the rate won't go faster. Prior to the satellite records, the commonly accepted rate was lower. All available measurements indicate the rate has been going up . . . along with CO{2} metrics.

    The second problem is "jumping to conclusions" that the paleorecord won't change. That is OK if the modern records didn't show that to be inaccurate. Instead of taking thousands of years to change, we're seeing rates of change about an order of magnitude faster and going faster. It is CO{2} that continues to increase and accelerate global warming which has regional effects . . . like commercial ships taking the Arctic short-cut in the summer sailing season.

    Bob Wilson
     
  16. tochatihu

    tochatihu Senior Member

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    Science in the media not well handled according to

    Evolution 101: No, an Octopus is not an Alien

    Their example comes from biology, not the local favorite (climate science). Anyway they close by advising us to read the literature. At least a little bit. So I don't feel so bad about suggesting the same.

    Octopi and squid may merit a thread of their own. They have many intriguing features.
     
  17. austingreen

    austingreen Senior Member

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    American Opinions on Global Warming: A Yale/Gallup/Clearvision Poll | Yale Project on Climate Change Communication

    71% think climate change is real, 69% agree with the consensus that that it is caused primarily or at least half by human activities, but only 15% worry about it a great deal. In the US the billionaire that says he worries about it a great deal, has made the single issue keystone pipeline, something scientists say blocking will not reduce climate change 67% of americans are in favor of keystone (january poll) while only 11% oppose. So from the polls its not that the american public doesn't agree with the scientific consensus, its that they don't agree with the solutions the politicians are proposing. I haven't seen a poll about the clean power plan, but businesses seem to like it.
     
    #17 austingreen, Aug 19, 2015
    Last edited: Aug 19, 2015
  18. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    or with personal responsibility.
     
  19. austingreen

    austingreen Senior Member

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    That is fairly clear from the most recent poll. In 2004 a large majority thought it was a major problem, but now only 15%, and its a problem for other species and people that live far away not for them. That is why they want the government to act, but they aren't going to change if no one else does.
     
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  20. mojo

    mojo Senior Member

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    Heres a book ranking #2,060 amongst all other books .
    Which quotes scientists giving their opinion of disgrace for AGW "science" icon Micheal Mann.
    Seems like the fake 97% consensus is getting a little testy about being included in the 97% consensus lie.
    Google "A Disgrace To The Profession" by Steyn.

    Dont know why I cant link to Amazon on Priuschat but you may want to fix that.You are losing money.
     
    #20 mojo, Aug 19, 2015
    Last edited: Aug 19, 2015