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9 February 2021

Science Illiteracy and Poor Critical Thinking Skills Really Can be Deadly

I’ve written many times over the years about science illiteracy and the need to teach critical thinking skills to students. Is there any doubt that the last 14 months has emphasised it like nothing else could? Thousands have died because they thought the world’s medical experts were wrong about social distancing/face masks. The politicians who agreed with them and refused to urge their constituents to follow the basic rules during …

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11 August 2020

Disease Experts Are Now Getting The Climate Science Treatment

  I have to feel sorry for Dr. Anthony Fauci. He has received several death threats and had to hire security for his family. So have other disease experts and the simple reason is that their science conflicts with the political worldview of some politicians and their supporters. The science does not care about your political party, it cares about what you can test and what you can show. If …

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5 April 2020

Questions about Covid19 and Virology? The Doctor is In!

The last straw this week was today’s  BBC story of conspiracy theorists setting fire to mobile phone towers. It seems they think the Covid19 virus is being caused by the upgrade to 5g mobile phone service. While I don’t there is any hope for these folks, if you’re convinced the Moon landing was real and that pro wrestling is a hoax, I think I can help with some reliable info …

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14 March 2020

What It’s Like to Nearly Die from Covid-19

There’s a very fascinating video below, but I want to give a pat on the back to the many science communicators in all fields who like me have tried to give good reliable science-based info on social media over the past two weeks. Particularly, Dr. Marshall Shepherd, past President of the AMS, who has done much to explain how to look critically at the information out there. Many people have …

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4 March 2020

The Internet Can Be A Source of Good Info on Covid-19. Like This!

It seems to me that everyone on social media with a science background should take the time to stop rumors and pass on good science info. Everyone with a science background should have the skills to identify fact-based information. I have been using my social media platforms to do this and I see others in atmospheric science doing the same. A special hat tip to Dr. Marshall Shepherd past President …

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24 February 2020

Looking for Loopholes and Getting Lost On Mount Stupid!

When the famous 1930’s comedian W. C. Fields was dying in a hospital, a friend came to visit him. She was shocked to see the notorious atheist reading a Bible as she walked in. “What are you doing with that?” she asked. W. C. Fields replied “Looking for loopholes!”. This describes a whole group of people on social media whose worldview will not allow that every major scientific body on …

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20 June 2019

Climate Stripes on the Solstice

Climate scientist Ed Hawkins at the Uni. of Reading is known for producing some great info-graphics about our warming climate but one of his most popular is now known as the climate stripes. This Friday, on the solstice (1554 GMT) meteorologists around the world are going to display them. They are a powerful visual of how the planet is warming, and this time thanks to the folks at Climate Central …

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22 February 2019

Things You Should Probably Stop Saying to Your Meteorologist

Meteorologist Dakota Smith posted the following video. You should check out his YouTube channel as well. Spot on Dakota!

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31 January 2019

Note to the Media: Getting Science/Weather Stories Right Matters Just As Much As Any Other

The cold hard scientific truth is that the polar vortex is 6 (plus) kilometers high and located south of Hudson Bay tonight. It never reached the American Midwest, and every story you’ve seen or read about it (except perhaps one or two notable exceptions) have been wrong. Indeed, the Washington Post is not the only one to post “polar vortex” headlines that were dead wrong this week. It’s turned into an …

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22 October 2018

The Coming Storm by Michael Lewis is a Must Listen

You really need to listen to The Coming Storm. This Audible short is about big data, deadly storms, and egregious greed, and I’d give it 5 stars even if I were not quoted in it. (The quote is accurate by the way and I stand by it 100%.)  My friend Tim Schmidt (my go-to expert on satellite data) is also quoted and he (and many of my NOAA friends) are …

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