Pat said:?
2. What was the most egregious scientific hoax of the 20th century?
Anthropogenic global warming aka climate change.
Darrell replied:
I am not taking responsibility for Thwaites melting, stunningly high record Arctic and Antarctic temperatures or the recent collapse of the Conger ice shelf. Nor for the persistent recent changes in weather patterns, including extremes such as high-powered hurricanes, massive tornadoes, overwhelming monsoons,unusually intense blizzards, unexpected (by me, at least!) fauna behaviors, or reliably measured rising sea levels. Geology does not care about biosphere changes that impact human beings negatively. I just happen to be alive during a period of concerning geological change.
Fortunately, my suburban contributions to observable atmospheric smog and emissions, worldwide littered waste, tested contamination of ground waters and topsoil, global deforestation, and massive natural resource depletion have nothing to do with any of those aforementioned changes. After all, everything that is destroyed is really just changing state, right? If I drown in an encroaching sea, I become fertilizer and fish food, thus simply continuing existence in a new form!
I will miss?sunsets atop?forested hills, though. Peak foliage in Autumn, the smells and sounds of breezes through the trees and the cute pictures of cuddly polar bear cubs! Fortunately I am old, though, and will not miss them for long even if I live to an old-age death!?
With love and respect,
D
