Climate Science

Do climate shifts spark wars?

A study published a little while back in Nature found an association between shifts in climate (in this case, shifts associated with El Niño) and international conflict. The researchers' hypothesis was that El Niño was messing with people's psyches and also creating economic shocks by tweaking food prices, dredging up storms, and fostering disease. These effects tend to make people a little testy and, boom!, conflict. 

But, as Sarah Zielinski writes at Smithsonian, it's too simple to say that climate change will cause war:

Conservatives just as wrong on climate economics as they are on climate science

The media have been taking note of Republicans' denial of climate science, but so far they're ignoring Republicans' denial of climate economics.

The 'radical' faces of climate change

Another tactic for dealing with climate skeptics is to point out the many well-respected, decidedly non-radical institutions that take science seriously.

Tar-sands protests go global

Protests against a proposed tar-sands pipeline broke out across the globe today.

Conservative pundits grapple with 'anti-science' charge, flail

Conservatives are trying to defend their movement against the charge that Republicans are "anti-science." They started off badly and are getting worse.

Snooki has a call to action on global warming

New Jersey natives, think fast: Who's your most embarrassing resident, your governor or your reality TV stars? Personally I think the scales are tipping in favor of the Jersey Shore cast. Chris Christie basically hates the environment, but Snooki believes in global warming! She may be constructed mostly of tanner and hair, but she knows what's up. Sort of.

Noise pollution ruins the sex life of tits

Pickup artists among the great tits (a species of bird, ok?) know how to get chicks: They sing at low frequencies just before females of their species begin laying eggs. It's a great technique! Unless they happen to be hanging out near sources of noise pollution, like highways, which force the tits to change their tune to a higher pitch so that the girls can hear their song in the first place. 

But that's when things start going wrong. 

Get ready for Hurricane Eggbeater

XKCD tackles a neglected aspect of the new climate normal: What are we going to call all these new hurricanes?

New York's one-inch escape from Irene

New York City dodged a bullet with Irene, but big trouble passed more closely than most people think.

Fox News viewers 'confused' by Bill Nye, science in general

Watch the latest video at video.foxbusiness.com

You'd think Fox News would already be mildly embarrassed by the fact that their outside consultant on science is the host of a children's program. ("And now, to discuss transportation infrastructure, Mr. Rogers!") But what's even more embarrassing is the fact that they can't understand a word he's saying, and they readily admit it.