General

The science stays the same

Independent data confirms climate change is happening, say U.S. scientists

In the run-up to the Copenhagen climate change summit next week, a lot of media attention has been focused on a matter that was thought to be settled a long time ago—whether the world really is warming. Two weeks ago, hackers stole and posted emails from servers at the U.K.’s University of East Anglia showing exchanges between top climate scientists over the past decade. “Climate-gate” as some conservative bloggers have dubbed it—no one ever accused them of being witty—has mostly revolved around messages suggesting the scientists had some of their own doubts about aspects of the warming data, or were keen to deprive climate change sceptics/deniers of fresh ammunition. But when House Republicans called Barack Obama’s top science advisors before them yesterday, trying to bring the scandal across the Atlantic, they got taken to school. Completely independent data from NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows dramatic global warming, they were told, and the world is in real danger. One peeved climate researcher even conducted a chemistry experiment on the witness stand to try and prove the point.

Associated Press

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