This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American
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Over the long MLK weekend (in the US), I’ll be reading Kerry Emanuel’s new book “What We Know About Climate Change”. Dr. Emanuel, you might recall, is the MIT climate researcher who coproduced the video urging us to find common ground on climate change. His book, now in its second edition, is an everyman’s guide about the science of climate change: an overview of the stuff we do know (scientifically), while also being upfront about what we don’t know.
After I posted Dr. Emanuel’s video earlier this week, I was inundated with feedback – overwhelmingly negative – about climate change science and the role of humans in the whole thing. The comments and my inbox were full of conspiracy theories about how climate change researchers fabricate the whole issue to secure grant funds (for those cushy professorial jobs!), and a flat out denial of the greenhouse gas effect (!!).
So with this in mind, I encourage the reader to pick up this book with hopes that we can discuss it and climate change science with more civility and a basis in science. The book is short (93 pages) and inexpensive; Amazon has it in hardcover for about $10, and $8 digitally.