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User:Dawei20/SkS Draft

< User:Dawei20
Skeptical Science
Type of site
Blog
Available inEnglish, Czech, Finnish, Spanish, German, Danish, Icelandic, Polish, Portuguese, Japanese, Dutch, Chinese, French, Italian, Thai, Slovak, Russian, Hebrew, Slovene, Norwegian
Created byJohn Cook
URLhttp://skepticalscience.com
LaunchedJune 25, 2007

Skeptical Science (occasionally abbreviated SkS) is a climate science blog and information resource created in 2007 by Australian blogger and author John Cook. In addition to publishing articles on current events relating to climate science and climate policy, the site maintains a large database of articles analyzing the merit of arguments commonly put forth by those who are skeptical of the mainstream scientific opinion on global warming.

Concept edit

After hearing a 2007 speech by US Senator James Inhofe, John Cook created Skeptical Science to be an internet resource that examined the scientific support of the most common skeptic arguments.[1] The site currently maintains over 160 articles addressing common criticisms of the scientific consensus on global warming, such as the claim that solar activity (rather than greenhouse gases) is responsible for the majority of 20th century global warming. Each article, referred to as an "argument", first presents a quotation from a prominent figure who made a direct claim regarding global warming, then follows with a summary of "what the science says".

Rather than fully qualifying each claim, the site focuses mainly on challenging it by citing counterexamples for why it is incorrect, and structuring these examples into an overall rebuttal of the original claim. The site primarily gains the content for these articles from relevant peer reviewed scientific papers.[2] Many articles have been translated into several languages, and are split into up to three levels of technical depth.

The home page of the site also features blog posts by a number of regular and guest contributors, which may be new rebuttals of a certain argument or simply the blogger's take on a relevant climate news item. Like the rebuttals, the blog entries tend to hold a consistent tone that the scientific opinion on anthropogenic global warming is generally accurate.

Smartphone App edit

 
Skeptical Science app on the Android operating system

Along with software development company Shine Technologies, in February 2010 the site launched a free smartphone application that includes condensed summaries of the majority of rebuttals featured on the site.[3] Shine Technologies offered to develop the application completely free of charge for Cook.[4] The app is available for the iPhone, Android, and Nokia systems.[5] It is fully-contained, meaning it does not require internet connection to be used, although some features—such as news articles or the ability to tweet which arguments the user found most useful—do require a data or internet connection.

After 8 months on the market, the app had received 60,000 downloads.[6] The app was entered into the 2010 Calling All Innovators competition, finishing in the Top 10.[7]

Projects edit

In addition to uncategorized blog posts, the site has published numerous multi-week features that serve to give a more in-depth analysis of a particular topic. Topics which have received special intention include a feature exposing climate 'myths' purported by numerous US politicians, a feature examining the accuracy of past predictions made by scientists studying global warming, as well as individual features to evaluate the claims made by the most prominent global warming skeptics, including Richard Lindzen, John Christy, and Christopher Monckton.

In 2010, a comprehensive report called The Scientific Guide to Global Warming Skepticism was made available for download from the site homepage.[8] Written by Cook and other authors on the site, the report draws from many of the rebuttals published and serves as a non-technical, easy to understand summary outlining the evidence for global warming and the flaws in many of the criticisms of anthropogenic global warming theory.[9]

In 2011 the book Climate Change Denial: Heads in the Sand, co-authored by Cook and Haydn Washington, was published by UK publisher Earthscan.[10] The book serves to examine the ways in which denial of anthropogenic global warming is manifested through governments and the public.

Reception edit

Skeptical Science has become a well-known resource for people seeking to understand or debate climate change, and has been praised for its straightforwardness.[11] Rather than active advertising or media relationships, Cook has focused on structuring the site primarily for optimization in search engine results.[1] Climate expert Joseph Romm has described it as an "excellent, well-organized site to send convincible people for a shredding of the standard, long-debunked denier talking points."[12] Marine biologist Ove Hoegh-Guldberg has described it as "the most prominent knowledge-based website dealing with climate change in the world",[13] and The Washington Post has praised it as the "most prominent and detailed" website to counter arguments by global warming skeptics.[14]

Climate skeptic and blogger Anthony Watts is frequently critical of the site’s accuracy and bias,[15][16][17] although he has commended Cook's "scholarly demeanor".[18] Climate skeptic Steve McIntyre has been critical of Cook’s explanation of the “nature trick” regarding temperature proxies, a central talking point during the 2010 Climategate controversy.[19] In April 2010, physicist Luboš Motl wrote a 28-page report that was subsequently picked up by the Science and Public Policy Institute. The report contains point-by-point counter-arguments of all arguments present on the Skeptical Science website.[20]

Cook has also been recognized for his conservative Christian evangelical beliefs while maintaining his stance on anthropogenic global warming,[21] two positions that some people would consider conflicting.[22]

Funding edit

Skeptical Science is not affiliated with any political, business, or charitable entity.[23] The site does not contain banner ads and is funded entirely by Cook himself, along with reader donations.[1] All regular and guest authors contribute on a strictly voluntary basis.

References edit

  1. ^ a b c Bud Ward (December 2, 2010). "Skeptical Science Founder John Cook; Climate Science from 'Basic … to Advanced'". The Yale Forum.
  2. ^ "How climate change deniers led me to set up Skeptical Science website". The Guardian. April 28, 2011.
  3. ^ "Skeptical Science iPhone App: Knocking Out Climate Skepticism, One Argument At A Time". Huffington Post. February 17, 2010.
  4. ^ Mark Johnson (February 11, 2010). "Shine builds Skeptical Science iPhone App". Shine Technologies.
  5. ^ John Cook (August 7, 2010). "Talkin bout the Skeptical Science phone apps". Skeptical Science.
  6. ^ "Communicating climate science with blogs and apps: Q&A with John Cook (Skeptical Science)". American Geophysical Union. December 1, 2010.
  7. ^ "Free app to counter skeptics' arguments on climate change". The Independent. August 10, 2010.
  8. ^ Kieran Mulvaney (December 31, 2010). "For New Year's Resolution: Climate Change Perspective". Discovery Channel News.
  9. ^ Matthew McDermott (December 27, 2010). "Human-Caused Climate Change Based on Consensus of Evidence, Not Just Consensus of Scientists". TreeHugger.
  10. ^ Cook, John (April 2011). Climate Change Denial: Heads in the Sand. Earthscan. ISBN 978-1-8497-1336-8. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  11. ^ Andrew Revkin (March 24, 2010). "A Physics Maven's Take on Skeptical Science". The New York Times.
  12. ^ "Skeptical Science explains how we know global warming is happening: It's the oceans, stupid!". Climate Progress. October 10, 2009.
  13. ^ "What scientists are saying about Skeptical Science". Skeptical Science. May 9, 2011.
  14. ^ Andrew Freedman (November 8, 2010). "Scientists launch climate science counterattacks". The Washington Post.
  15. ^ Roger Pielke Sr. (September 11, 2010). "Pielke Senior: Misinformation on the Website "Skeptical Science – Getting Skeptical About Global Warming Skepticism"". Watts Up With That?. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  16. ^ J. Storrs Hall (March 1, 2011). "Rebuttal to the Skeptical Science "Crux of a Core"". Watts Up With That?. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  17. ^ Bob Fernley-Jones (May 28, 2011). "The Worst "Cook"book Interview Ever?". Watts Up With That?. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  18. ^ Anthony Watts (September 27, 2010). "Skeptical Science? John Cook – embarrassing himself". Watts Up With That?.
  19. ^ Steve McIntyre (March 29, 2011). "Keith's Science Trick, Mike's Nature Trick and Phil's Combo". Climate Audit.
  20. ^ Luboš Motl (April 2, 2010). "John Cook: Skeptical Science" (PDF). Science and Public Policy Institute.
  21. ^ Graham Wayne (August 25, 2010). "Why would a solar physicist embrace the non-rationality of religion?". The Guardian.
  22. ^ Neela Banerjee (January 05, 2011). "Scientist proves conservatism and belief in climate change aren't incompatible". Los Angeles Times. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  23. ^ Cook, John. "About Skeptical Science". Skeptical Science.

External Links edit

Skeptical Science home page

Skeptical Science app (for Android and Apple)

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