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Post by auntym on Apr 5, 2013 14:08:20 GMT -6
news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/13/130404-american-conspiracy-theories-polls-debunk/?utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=Social&utm_content=link_tw20130405news-scienceconspir&utm_campaign=Content Fact Checking 6 Persistent Science Conspiracy TheoriesConspiracy theories that are easily debunked by science still persist.by Ker Than for National Geographic News Published April 4, 2013 Conspiracy theories are as American as apple pie. A national poll released this week by Public Policy Polling (PPP) found that some popular conspiracy theories in the United States have persisted for years, like the belief that a UFO crashed in Roswell, New Mexico, in 1947. Meanwhile, new theories have gained believers, such as the ideas that Saddam Hussein was involved in the 9/11 attacks and that Osama bin Laden is still alive. Perhaps not surprisingly, many of the ideas in the new poll are based on a misunderstanding of science—or a stubborn refusal to acknowledge it. Here's a reality check on some of the science-related conspiracy theories from the survey: 1. A total of 37 percent of American voters believe global warming is a hoax. Most (58 percent) of the people who believe this identified themselves as Republicans. Of those who don't believe global warming is a hoax, 77 percent are Democrats. Reality Check: Numerous scientific studies have confirmed that the Earth is warming and that the rate of warming is increasing. Average temperatures have climbed 1.4°F (0.8°C) around the world since 1880. Much of the temperature increase happened in recent decades, coinciding with a spike of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere as a result of human activity. The effects of global warming on the natural world are equally well documented: Arctic sea ice is now thawing at historic rates, flowers are blooming earlier, and the migration patterns of birds and other animals are changing. 2. A total of 29 percent of voters believe aliens do exist. Another 21 percent believe the U.S. government covered up a UFO crash near Roswell, New Mexico, in 1947. According to PPP, more Americans who supported Mitt Romney for president last year (27 percent) than those who supported Barack Obama (16 percent) believe in the UFO cover-up. Reality Check: It hasn't always been the case, but many astronomers today are open to the idea of life existing elsewhere in the universe—and even to the possibility of intelligent alien life. That's thanks in large part to the relatively recent discoveries of hundreds of so-called exoplanets—worlds beyond our solar system—and thousands of planet candidates. Most scientists think it's only a matter of time before a habitable, rocky, Earth-like twin is discovered. Even our own solar system might contain evidence of alien life. NASA's Curiosity rover recently discovered tantalizing evidence of clays and minerals that scientists say could only have formed in water. The implication: Ancient Mars had the conditions and ingredients necessary to support life. As for UFOs, most sightings are eventually linked to more mundane causes. For example, a recent video by actor Russell Crowe purportedly capturing a UFO outside his office was likely reflected sunlight from a plane passing near sunset. CONTINUE READING: news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/13/130404-american-conspiracy-theories-polls-debunk/?utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=Social&utm_content=link_tw20130405news-scienceconspir&utm_campaign=Content
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 5, 2013 15:30:17 GMT -6
And yet people will still hang onto their pet theories and conspiracies
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Post by skywalker on Apr 5, 2013 20:39:02 GMT -6
As far as the global warming thing goes nobody is disputing that the earth has gotten warmer in the last few decades, only the cause of it. Global warming advocates yell and scream and say the culprit is greenhouse gasses caused by man. Other more rational people point out the fact that it was hotter 500 years ago than it is today, it was hotter 100 years ago than it is today, and that the temperature of the earth is constantly fluctuating up and down depending on the intensity of the sun. When the sun gets hotter the earth gets hotter. When the sun gets cooler the earth gets cooler. Over the past few decades the polar ice caps on Mars have also been shrinking which would lead one to conclude that the sun is the cause of any warming that is going on right now on Earth. There is not a single piece of evidence to support this greenhouse gas theory.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 5, 2013 22:17:02 GMT -6
Maybe not greenhouse gas..but we sure have had a hand in severely damaging our planet. We're a bit like monkeys finding tools..so anxious to use them that we don't research consequences..like aerosols..petroleum products..strip mining..chopping down rain forests..foresting in general, combustion engine pollution...etc..etc. Instead of being more like the Indian's and learning to live with the land..we kept finding new ways to conquer it. Yay us.
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Post by skywalker on Apr 5, 2013 22:23:04 GMT -6
You got no argument from me on that. People destroy everything they touch. We are like a bunch of monkeys. Humans have just enough brains to make them dangerous.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 6, 2013 9:23:18 GMT -6
Yep...but I like to think there are some exceptions
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Post by skywalker on Apr 6, 2013 11:28:46 GMT -6
There are always exceptions. Some people are kind and generous and wonderful people in every way they could possibly be. Some people dedicate their lives to helping others and in some cases even sacrifice their lives for others. Those are the people who make the world a little bit better and give the rest of humanity hope.
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Post by bewildered on Apr 27, 2013 6:52:44 GMT -6
You got no argument from me on that. People destroy everything they touch. We are like a bunch of monkeys. Humans have just enough brains to make them dangerous. You insult monkeys, sky! A number of different disciplines cooperate in tracking the earth's climate over the course of thousands upon thousands of years. A myriad of factors have been identified as having a demonstrable effect upon ambient temperatures in various regions of the globe. The excessive production of greenhouse emissions have indeed had a statistically relevant impact on global temperatures. It's patently silly to dismiss the human factor, especially when the body of scientific evidence indicates that mean temperatures are rising more swiftly than they have before. The United States is a stronghold of the science denier crowd, and when you follow evidentiary threads back to their source, you invariably find corporate interest and funding behind the bulk of those who either deny global warming is occurring, or who downplay the effects of rising temperatures and the impact we have had upon the environment. If you find yourself wondering about the scruples of their polar opposites - the ones who are pushing biofuels and a profit-making scheme based upon "carbon credits" - then your suspicion is well-placed. Once again, follow the money...biofuels are not only horrendously inefficient to produce and damaging to the economy, but they are making certain corporations (ironically, the same ones who peddle fossil fuels) unimaginably obese with profit. Lost in the mix are those voices who think we should pursue clean energy, like hydrogen fuel cell engines and improved solar power technology. Why are they either ignored or marginalized? Simple: truly clean energy is virtually limitless (and therefore infinitely sustainable) and after the initial expense of development and implementation, almost completely free to use. Sunlight and H20 (water). That's all you need.
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Post by bewildered on Apr 27, 2013 7:04:25 GMT -6
Just imagine what we might accomplish if we directed the trillions we spend on blowing other people to smithereens toward achieving reliable fusion power. Fusion is like a glass of cold spring water compared to the nasty cigar of nuclear fission. It produces no radioactive waste, and is in fact what happens in the heart of our very own star. Nuclear fusion produces 400% more power than nuclear fission. Clean, virtually limitless energy that can conceivably power a craft that could travel through interstellar space. I don't know about you, but I think people are insane for not doing everything they can to make it happen.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 27, 2013 10:03:19 GMT -6
It's so nice to see you Bewildered..I was just thinking of you yesterday and voila' I agree..if we were channeled in a less combative direction..we could accomplish a heck of a lot more
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Post by auntym on Apr 27, 2013 10:11:33 GMT -6
happy to see you again bewildered... we missed you ...
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CitizenK
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I'm Back Guys!!! I've missed you so much!!!
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Post by CitizenK on Apr 27, 2013 12:56:21 GMT -6
Good to see you Bewildered, it is always good to hear your points of view!
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Post by skywalker on Apr 27, 2013 20:04:51 GMT -6
You got no argument from me on that. People destroy everything they touch. We are like a bunch of monkeys. Humans have just enough brains to make them dangerous. You insult monkeys, sky! Sorry, monkeys. No offense intended.
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Post by bewildered on Apr 27, 2013 21:08:28 GMT -6
I appreciate the sentiment, everyone. I had to find the forum once again and re-establish both my link to it and remember my bloody password (my old PC gave up the ghost in a spectacular display complete with a burning power supply and toasted hard drive). I've been busy destroying my mind in school the past few years, mumbling incoherently in a corner while I try to learn various programming languages and figure out a way to solve the "Towers of Hanoi" problem recursively. In order to understand recursion, you must first understand recursion... Yes, that's what my Computer Science professor said the first day of my class. Zoinks! jo: It's so easy for people to become distracted in the veritable zoo we find ourselves immersed in. Sometimes, the answers to our daunting dilemmas are small, simple things that are too easy to ignore in the cacophony of modern living. Everyone seems to ignore the guy that raises his hand and says, "Hey! I have an idea. Why don't we stop killing each other?" After a second or two, people just shake their heads and go back to life as usual.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 28, 2013 10:11:52 GMT -6
Well...the one thing I keep reminding myself is that life is full of dips and curves. I could wake up tomorrow and find the world completely changed..or at least my own and I do know change is coming. I am happy to see that you found your way back to our little neck of the woods and happy that you've plunked your fine mind into something challenging..just don't damage it in the process
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Post by bewildered on Apr 29, 2013 11:40:38 GMT -6
I am happy to see that you found your way back to our little neck of the woods and happy that you've plunked your fine mind into something challenging..just don't damage it in the process Too late for that. I'm toast. ;D
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 29, 2013 12:04:50 GMT -6
Ahhh well remember a piece of toast that looked like Elvis sold for a LOT on ebay Even toast has great value
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CitizenK
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I'm Back Guys!!! I've missed you so much!!!
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Post by CitizenK on Apr 30, 2013 0:01:34 GMT -6
lol ... even toast has value! (don't forget the one that looked like Jesus!) HA! you kill me JoKelly! Bewildered, somehow I think you aren't quite toast material yet hang in there...you have a lot to contribute, and I don't mean just 'here'. Cheers.
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Post by dawnoftime on Apr 30, 2013 9:56:26 GMT -6
As far as the global warming thing goes nobody is disputing that the earth has gotten warmer in the last few decades, only the cause of it. Global warming advocates yell and scream and say the culprit is greenhouse gasses caused by man. Other more rational people point out the fact that it was hotter 500 years ago than it is today, it was hotter 100 years ago than it is today, and that the temperature of the earth is constantly fluctuating up and down depending on the intensity of the sun. When the sun gets hotter the earth gets hotter. When the sun gets cooler the earth gets cooler. Over the past few decades the polar ice caps on Mars have also been shrinking which would lead one to conclude that the sun is the cause of any warming that is going on right now on Earth. There is not a single piece of evidence to support this greenhouse gas theory. With all due respect, my friend, I wouldn't characterize myself as yelling and screaming. I have friends who are studying the global climate change phenomenon as scientists and as BW pointed out, the evidence is compelling. I'm not saying we know everything, but as jokelly pointed out, there is no question that we are damaging things on a number of levels. Rather than quibble over who is right about smaller aspects of the argument seems divisive when we could just as easily focus on trying to do things in a healthier way for a myriad of commonly beneficial reasons. To say you are more rational in your conclusions than I am because I disagree seems unnecessarily combative. It is also an ad hominem argumentative fallacy -- making the claim that "smart" or "rational" people belive one thing, while someone who has a different viewpoint is irrational or stupid. I mean no disrespect and would never want to fight with you. I just feel that these statements were hurtful.
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Post by bewildered on Apr 30, 2013 13:09:57 GMT -6
Rather than quibble over who is right about smaller aspects of the argument seems divisive when we could just as easily focus on trying to do things in a healthier way for a myriad of commonly beneficial reasons. I've never been able to wrap my head around attempts to dismiss the wanton destruction of the environment as inconsequential to the global climate by utilizing (or justifying) fallacy to obfuscate statistically relevant factors clearly identified in a cause and effect chain. It typically reveals the following: an essential misunderstanding of science, the scientific method, and the value of peer-reviewed research; the possible presence of an agenda. In the United States, both often go hand-in-hand. Your statement sums up the common sense portion of this equation. The destruction of habitat, species and entire ecosystems through human activity is not a natural occurrence. The notion that habitat and ecosystems exist independently of one another (and thus do not contribute meaningfully to the planet on any appreciable scale) is a falsehood that is exposed when a number of scientific disciplines pool their understanding and research and share data. The earth as we know it is the result of a fractal pattern of relationships within relationships within relationships.
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Post by dawnoftime on Apr 30, 2013 17:57:51 GMT -6
Rather than quibble over who is right about smaller aspects of the argument seems divisive when we could just as easily focus on trying to do things in a healthier way for a myriad of commonly beneficial reasons. I've never been able to wrap my head around attempts to dismiss the wanton destruction of the environment as inconsequential to the global climate by utilizing (or justifying) fallacy to obfuscate statistically relevant factors clearly identified in a cause and effect chain. It typically reveals the following: an essential misunderstanding of science, the scientific method, and the value of peer-reviewed research; the possible presence of an agenda. In the United States, both often go hand-in-hand. Your statement sums up the common sense portion of this equation. The destruction of habitat, species and entire ecosystems through human activity is not a natural occurrence. The notion that habitat and ecosystems exist independently of one another (and thus do not contribute meaningfully to the planet on any appreciable scale) is a falsehood that is exposed when a number of scientific disciplines pool their understanding and research and share data. The earth as we know it is the result of a fractal pattern of relationships within relationships within relationships. I really appreciate that.
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Post by bewildered on Apr 30, 2013 20:15:28 GMT -6
I want to address something that sky posted. I think some clarification is essential. If you're claiming that certain gases don't serve to trap radiant energy and prevent it from escaping the atmosphere, evidence certainly exists that documents this quality of certain gases (and even water vapor). Read a decent Wikipedia article about it by clicking the furnished link: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenhouse_gasSome gases that exhibit a "greenhouse effect" are: carbon dioxide, methane, and ozone. Water vapor also has Greenhouse qualities. I guess I'm struck sideways by the irony here. The Greenhouse Effect is a well-known and extensively documented phenomenon that can be personally witnessed in experiments one can carry out at home or in a school laboratory. These gasses permit the entry of radiation but prevent their escape, much like the situation one sees in a greenhouse...you know, a construct designed to permit the entry of infrared radiation but prevent its escape. Water vapor is a big part of the retention in a greenhouse. Are you seriously denying that happens?
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