Sign in / up

* Posts by S

2 publicly visible posts • joined 11 Oct 2007

Medical isotope scarcity as Dutch reactor goes titsup

S
Joke

@Rob

It seems sending one of the minions off to do a chemistry or biology degree would (should?) be the first step for 'terrorist' groups. Using headline causing substances in an ineffective attack is less scary than an efficient, knowledgeable group.

At least I guess it would be; I have seen neither.

Until then I think we're doing a fairly good job of terrorising ourselves.

Joke because - if you didn't laugh, you'd cry

0 0

Judge rules Gore's film an inconvenient catalogue of errors

S

generalities

There's a good to be said about this topic, much of which has been waded through before. As a Phys grad with some environmental and meteorological exp, admittedly no specialist, there seems to be a gradual take-up of both of belief in first the changing environment, the significance of the speed of the changes and the likelyhood that these changes are significantly due to human-driven processes.

It is interesting to look at the lifetime of scientific ideas and thier take-up by the wider population. A large part of the difficulty in developing a clear(er?) picture of the current and future climate change, its causes and effects, is the number and influence of the interested and affected parties. Much of what I have read/heard/seen on the subject is quite hideously biased or based on unsound, even non-existant, science. Obviously, this occurs on both sides.

The issue deserves to be looked at with as objective an opinion as possible. Objective opinions need also to be given greater emphasis in order to increase the value of debate.

IMHO it will benefit children to see the Gore film, the ~Swindle film, information directly from scientific comm and in seeing what they can determine for themselves. They could then be taught how to (and the reasons why it is useful to) evaluate the validity of any of the claims that are made.

Does objectivity sell fewer newspapers? probably. Should we all invest a little more in significant debate. Yep. Is this issue going to be solved anytime soon? Nope. Do I over use the word significant? Yes, I like it very much. It makes me feel significant.

0 0