What do an island in the Aleutians, the Ides of March, and climate change resulting in famine have in common? Volcanism.
climate change
Niche; it can be described as a comfortable, suitable position in life, the equipoise of resources and competition. Having one’s niche, it sounds so comforting; having a special place in the world. COVID-19 may have temporarily disrupted our niche, but climate change could drastically re-alter it.
Here's what we have for you this time: Why Doctors Think They're the Best ... an introduction to the beautiful writing of Robert McFarlane ... a nod to Dr. Aaron Carroll and the fight to debunk bad healthcare claims ... and finally, considering two views of climate change: the "gradualist" and the "catastrophist."
The Lancet has decided that being culturally "woke" is more important than presenting evidence-based reports and opinions.
Paradoxically, for scientists, the more you express your uncertainty, the more likely you are to be trusted ... that is, to a point.
When it comes to energy and climate policy, there's little rationality to be found. Those who believe that climate change is an existential threat often reject nuclear power in favor of wind and solar, despite those options being insufficient to power the planet. That said, to embrace nuclear energy, we also must have a realistic solution to the problem of waste.
Changing the world is hard work. Marching and protesting is easy, but learning about science and taking meaningful action -- like planting a trillion trees -- requires substantial intellectual and physical effort. No wonder so few are willing to do it.
In 2017, the CDC recorded 2,813,503 deaths in the United States. That's an average of 7,708 per day. But averages can be misleading. While that's the average, there is wide variability depending on the time of year. Specifically, people are far likelier to die during one extreme temperature season than the other.
On climate policy, Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez believe there is no middle ground. AOC said, "You're either fighting for our future or you're not," which sounds an awful lot like, "You're either with us or against us." This is wrong and counterproductive.
There's a new position paper, and it's pretty strict. Good environmental deeds do not compensate for bad environmental behavior. Take the carbon credits and taxes off the table. Half measures are over in the fight to save the species.
The Lancet continues its year-long series on non-communicable diseases, turning now to the pandemic caused by Big Food, climate change, transportation and energy systems. But there's just something not quite right about its proffered solutions, which include the governmental nudges of taxes and banishing Big Food -- and it's cronies -- from policy discussions.
Contrary to wide-eyed speculation and fearmongering, coffee is not going extinct. Coffee bean production is up, and prices are down.