A Skeptic Is No Longer

Science is winning out. Again. As it should.

It was reported yesterday that a significant critic of climate-change (i.e. human caused global warming) has changed his opinion. Richard A. Muller, professor of physics at UC Berkeley, MacArthur Fellow and co-founder of the Berkeley Earth Surface Temperature project has a new opinion and it is different from his old one.

In an op-ed opinion piece in the New York Times, Muller admits to the change. Human-caused global warming or climate change IS happening. He calls his new position "a total turnaround."

What makes it all the more interesting is that the source of funding for Muller and his study is the Koch Brothers, the strong conservative money source and a financial backer of climate change denial.

Just goes to show what happens when you do the research.

Politics influencing scientific research and information is nothing new. Copernicus got in a lot of trouble with the powers-that-be (a religious/secular theocratic state) when his scientific opinions were deemed wrong simply because they disagreed with theology. Darwin and evolution continue to be flash points because theology is always correct in any debate with science we are often told.

Yes, I know I am using the word theology when the anti-evolution (or anti-sun-centric solar system) advocates would say it was the Bible, not theology that was being attacked. I would say that a theological position on interpretation of the Bible was what was being challenged. Just as in so many other political issues, don't confuse it with the facts.

In any case, I am glad that this is happening. It is an important step in the progress of dealing with a very important issue. When a president causes great deficits he is accused of placing an unfair burden on future generations. That problem is nothing compared to the stress-filled burden of a world far less livable because of severe climate change that we might be able to do something about.

(Link to LA Times article)