2 April 2018

Gavin Schmidt and Richard Alley’s Talk to a Full House at the Smithsonian

Posted by Dan Satterfield

From the Marsicek paper in Nature.

Anyone doing a presentation about Earth’s past climate has heard the same question. It goes something along the lines of: “How can you know what the weather was like ten thousand years ago? You weren’t there and neither was anyone else alive!”

Here’s the thing though: How we know is really fascinating, and not knowing, doesn’t make it any less certain or true.

Paleoclimate is my favorite subject of the many branches of climate science. I keep up with the science and, and I know just enough to know how much people like Dr. Gavin Schmidt and Dr. Richard Alley know, that nearly everyone else (including meteorologists like me) do not. Both are not just renown experts but are superb science communicators, and I was certain that the event would be a full house.

It was.

While I usually don’t post a link to a Facebook video, I’ll make an exception because that’s all I have. Science teachers, substitute teachers, this is worth an hour of class time!

Note to students in Oklahoma: I know many of your teachers are walking out Monday because they are tired of third world paychecks. This includes teachers at my alma mater (near Tulsa) as well, so while you’re out of class, this would be a good thing to watch. Unfortunately, it’s a truth many of your fellow Oklahomans do not want to believe. Unlike a lot of adults, I know how amazing your generation is turning out to be, and you are the future!

 

Click the image or below.
https://www.facebook.com/smithsonianmagazine/videos/10155667116273253/