Category Archives: Climate Change

Climate Change, due to Solar Variability or Greenhouse Gases? Part A.

By Andy May It’s more likely mostly due to both, but that isn’t really the question. Virtually everyone accepts that climate changes and that CO2 and methane are greenhouse gases; and probably everyone remembers from grade school that the Sun is a variable star. The debate is over how much of recent global warming isContinue reading “Climate Change, due to Solar Variability or Greenhouse Gases? Part A.”

Defending Scott Pruitt – Making science reproducible

By Andy May The EPA secretary, Scott Pruitt, testified before the House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee on Thursday April 26, 2018. He had been charged with spending too much money on travel, security and a secure phone booth for his office. Certainly, a reason to reprimand him, but I’m not sure a fullContinue reading “Defending Scott Pruitt – Making science reproducible”

The PBS Newshour Whale Oil Myth

By Andy May   While researching fossil fuel history recently, I discovered a PBS article entitled “The Whale Oil Myth.” You can see the full article here. It is based on another blog post on the environmental history web site here. The authors are not identified, but the original ideas are from Dr. Bill KovarikContinue reading “The PBS Newshour Whale Oil Myth”

The phytoplankton decline, is there anything to it?

By Andy May We have been told that the phytoplankton population is declining rapidly around the world and, of course, the cause is climate change. Phytoplankton is the base of the ocean food chain and it accounts for about half of global primary productivity or organic matter creation (Boyce, Lewis and Worm 2010). Phytoplankton isContinue reading “The phytoplankton decline, is there anything to it?”

Global Warming and Extreme Weather

By Andy May In this post, the sixth of seven, we will discuss the connection between climate change and extreme weather. In previous posts, we’ve discussed whether humans are harming the environment, whether our population is growing too fast, the cost of global warming, are species extinctions increasing, and climate related mortality. In the IPCCContinue reading “Global Warming and Extreme Weather”

Population Growth and the food supply

By Andy May This is the second of seven posts on the potential costs and hazards of human-caused global warming and the impact of humans on the environment. The first post is on humans and the environment (here). The IPCC WGII AR5 Technical Summary, defines “hazards” as follows on page 39: “The potential occurrence ofContinue reading “Population Growth and the food supply”

Highlights of the 2017 Heartland Energy Conference

By Andy May On November 9, 2017 Heartland held their “America First Energy Conference” in Houston, Texas. It was held in the JW Marriott Hotel next to the Houston Galleria. The venue and food were both very good. As a former employee (and sometime consultant) in the energy industry, I was very interested in whatContinue reading “Highlights of the 2017 Heartland Energy Conference”

Are Environmentalists becoming Fascists?

By Andy May From Wikipedia: Fascism /ˈfæʃɪzəm/ is a form of radical authoritarian nationalism, characterized by dictatorial power, forcible suppression of opposition and control of industry and commerce that came to prominence in early 20th-century Europe. There have been some disconcerting items in the news lately. This one is disturbing, from Germany. To quote ProfessorContinue reading “Are Environmentalists becoming Fascists?”

Oxygen-18 Stability in Foraminifera fossils, implications in paleoclimatology

By Andy May 18O is a rare isotope of oxygen. The ratio of 18O to the normal 16O in foraminifera fossils (“forams”) can be used to estimate paleo-ocean temperatures. Higher values mean lower temperatures. A recent article on geologypage.com (here) led me to Bernard, et al., 2017, which has experimental data that suggest 18O concentrationsContinue reading “Oxygen-18 Stability in Foraminifera fossils, implications in paleoclimatology”

Some Failed Climate Predictions

Guest post by Javier Here, for the first time in public, is Javier’s entire collection of massive, “consensus” climate science prediction failures. This collection is carefully selected from only academics or high-ranking officials, as reported in the press or scientific journals. Rather than being exhaustive, this is a list of fully referenced arguments that showsContinue reading “Some Failed Climate Predictions”