This is just how science really works; constantly correcting all sorts of silly errors. The odd part here is that one institution is named the authority and is expected to make strong assertions. This just doesn't work in science. Reputation opens a few doors, but it doesn't mean you're right.
Climate scientists admit fresh error over data on rising sea levels
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Re: Climate scientists admit fresh error over data on rising sea levels
#12"Admit" or "were caught"?
It's a trivial factual error. RTFA before making conspiracist comments.
Ha! That means that you made a MISTAKE! All your conclusions are WRONG, and we are actually entering an ICE AGE!! Or something like that. Just as long as I can drive my SUV and I can use my big screen TV and hair dryer, we are good.
Re: Climate scientists admit fresh error over data on rising sea levels
#13To be fair, shoddy science is probably common in every field. It's just that this is such a politically charged issue that it attracts far more attacks and attention.
> To be fair, shoddy science is probably common in every field. It's just that this is such a politically charged issue that it attracts far more attacks and attention. You get a pass for making mistakes when: 1. You don't claim there's a "consensus" when anyone disagrees with you. 2. You don't try to paint people who disagree with you as "deniers" and otherwise ignorant and horrible people. 3. You don't try to suppr…
1. There's consensus that evolution is a valid theory. It doesn't mean every scientist is on board. That would be impossible.
2. If you say the world is flat or that evolution doesn't exist -- if you won't accept the result of the scientific process, you're holding us back. I don't approve of names, but you'll get one.
3. I'm sure creationists get surpressed too. Not all views are equal; you have to have superior science. If you do, you'll be listened to.
4. Trillions in beuracracy? Ha! Listen. The oil industry is the biggest industry the world has ever known with revenues of 8.5 million a second. It was 2 million a second just up until 2003. That' a huge jump for the world's biggest commodity. Sure it's partially because we're using more, but it's also because there's only so much oil. We know that. We have to switch. Let's do it now and save ourselves money and possibly help the environment in the process. (I think the pressing effects on such things as water supplies for poorer societies are more important, but I'm guessing your soul won't move you much, and that it's smarter to appeal to your wallet.)
5. Point out a rounding error in evolution. Who gives a fuck. Either prove it or disprove it, but rounding errors are not interesting to anyone but you and your ilk.
6. Watch Bill O'Reilly much? That's just conspiracy nonsense.
Re: Climate scientists admit fresh error over data on rising sea levels
#14Sorry, but how is getting the percentage of the Netherlands below sea level wrong an error about rising sea levels? Sea levels are independent from the height of the Netherlands for practical purposes (I suppose the Netherlands swallowing less water would actually imply higher sea levels, in case the Netherlands were flooded).
This is not an error that affects climate research.
Re: Climate scientists admit fresh error over data on rising sea levels
#15"The sea-level statistic was used for background information only, and the updated information remains consistent with the overall conclusions," the IPCC note states. Nevertheless, the admission is likely to intensify claims by sceptics that the IPCC work is riddled with sloppiness. I think that quote needs to be highlighted before people start making claims that this doesn't matter. This just shows (again) how polit…
How could the height of the Netherlands possibly have an effect on climate and actual sea levels? The Netherlands are very small.
I guess if you want to be really nitpicky, you could demand quotes for every single word in every scientific publications. They[1] would[2] then[3] become[4] completely[5] unreadable[6], which[7] would[8] hardly[9] be[10] conductive[11].
[1] you
[2] get
[3] the
[4] idea
...
Re: Climate scientists admit fresh error over data on rising sea levels
#16Houghton's "quote" has become one of the most emblematic remarks supposed to have been made by a mainstream scientist about global warming, and appears on almost two million web pages concerned with climate change. It is interesting that not only is Google used as an authoritative news source, it is considered authoritative enough that it doesn't even need to be mentioned as a news source, even when they are reportin…
If you put quotation marks around the "quote", the number of results drops from 1.7 million to 16,000.
Re: Climate scientists admit fresh error over data on rising sea levels
#17Sorry, but how is getting the percentage of the Netherlands below sea level wrong an error about rising sea levels? Sea levels are independent from the height of the Netherlands for practical purposes (I suppose the Netherlands swallowing less water would actually imply higher sea levels, in case the Netherlands were flooded). This is not an error that affects climate research.
> This is not an error that affects climate research.
If they're wrong about the things that I can check, why should I assume that they're correct about the things that I can't check?
Re: Climate scientists admit fresh error over data on rising sea levels
#18Sorry, but how is getting the percentage of the Netherlands below sea level wrong an error about rising sea levels? Sea levels are independent from the height of the Netherlands for practical purposes (I suppose the Netherlands swallowing less water would actually imply higher sea levels, in case the Netherlands were flooded). This is not an error that affects climate research.
> This is not an error that affects climate research. If they're wrong about the things that I can check, why should I assume that they're correct about the things that I can't check?
I am pretty sure if you look hard enough, you can find errors in almost every text. Communication requires a minimum of goodwill on part of the listener.
Reminds me of one of my favorite characters, Till Eulenspiegel. His alleged favorite pastime was to misinterpret directions people gave him (because language is ambiguous).
Perhaps science should be written in Lojban? Haven't looked into it, but it seems to be designed to be unambiguous.
Re: Climate scientists admit fresh error over data on rising sea levels
#19Sorry, but how is getting the percentage of the Netherlands below sea level wrong an error about rising sea levels? Sea levels are independent from the height of the Netherlands for practical purposes (I suppose the Netherlands swallowing less water would actually imply higher sea levels, in case the Netherlands were flooded). This is not an error that affects climate research.
> This is not an error that affects climate research. If they're wrong about the things that I can check, why should I assume that they're correct about the things that I can't check?
Perhaps you could sample a large number of their statements and perform a statistical analysis to determine if they wrong with high probability? Oh, yes, that would be a lot of work and we have something called the "scientific process" for doing that anyway. It's much easier to form a snap judgement based on a single, self-selected piece of information.