Study: Global cooling a 1970s myth

NewsDaily ^ | Feb. 21, 2008 | No author

[redpoll]

ASHEVILLE, N.C., Feb. 21 (UPI) -- A U.S. climatologist said there was no consensus in the 1970s that the Earth was headed for a new ice age.

Thomas Peterson of the National Climatic Data Center said a survey of scientific journals of the era showed that only seven supported global cooling, 44 predicted warming and 20 others were neutral, USA Today reported Thursday.

"An enduring popular myth suggests that in the 1970s the climate science community was predicting 'global cooling' and an 'imminent' ice age, an observation frequently used by those who would undermine what climate scientists say today about the prospect of global warming," Peterson said in the report, co-authored by William Connolly of the British Antarctic Survey and John Fleck of The Albuquerque Journal.

The study, which will be published in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, said a review of the literature suggests that greenhouse warming even then dominated scientists' thinking.

[redpoll]

Except for that Newsweek cover story, which, of course, was a myth, too.

[Digital Sniper]

So sometime between 2030 and 2040, we can look forward to the media finally acknowledging that Global Warming was a myth as well. Joy.

[RC2]

Of course it was a “myth”....Al Gore said so.

[Shermy]

“a review of the literature”

LOL. “Meta”-science. But his “survey” will be reported as “science.”

[capt. norm]

A U.S. climatologist said there was no consensus in the 1970s that the Earth was headed for a new ice age.

There definitely WAS a consensus, but much like today, it was a consensus of the media....licking their chops at a good scare story.

[vamoose]

seven supported global cooling, 44 predicted warming and 20 others were neutral

If we were in a period of cooling, wouldn't it be wise to predict warming? At some point you would be right. There's a difference between predicting warming and the global warming claimed by Gore, et al.

[tbw2]

Then we’ll be on to the world takeover by the Artificial Intelligences who will blame all of this on the horrible, horrible humans and their irrational insanity. Thus we’ll have given them an excuse to exterminate us.
And the Greens will agree with them.

[qam1]

Historical revision at it’s finest

I found 8 right off the bat

The United States and the Soviet Union are mounting large-scale investigations to determine why the Arctic climate is becoming more frigid, why parts of the Arctic sea ice have recently become ominously thicker and whether the extent of that ice cover contributes to the onset of ice ages. – New York Times - July 18, 1970

“In the next 50 years fine dust that humans discharge into the atmosphere by burning fossil fuel will screen out so much of the sun’s rays that the Earth’s average temperature could fall by six degrees. Sustained emissions over five to 10 years, could be sufficient to trigger an ice age.” – Washington Post - “U.S. Scientist Sees New Ice Age Coming.” July 9, 1971 (NOTE: This was based on a computer model Dr. James Hansen - the leading global warming fear monger today)

“There is very important climatic change (Global Cooling) going on right now, and it’s not merely something of academic interest. It is something that, if it continues, will affect the whole human occupation of the earth – like a billion people starving. The effects are already showing up in a rather drastic way.” - American Institute of Physics February 1974

“Climatological Cassandras are becoming increasingly apprehensive, for the weather aberrations they are studying may be the harbinger of another ice age” – Time Magazine June 24, 1974

A number of climatologists, whose job it is to keep an eye on long-term weather changes, have lately been predicting deterioration of the benign climate to which we have grown accustomed. – New York Times - December 29, 1974

Scientists, these seemingly disparate incidents represent the advance signs of fundamental changes in the world’s weather. The central fact is that after three quarters of a century of extraordinarily mild conditions, the earth’s climate seems to be cooling down. Meteorologists disagree about the cause and extent of the cooling trend, as well as over its specific impact on local weather conditions. But they are almost unanimous in the view that the trend will reduce agricultural productivity for the rest of the century. – The Cooling World Newsweek, April 28, 1975

“Scientist ponder why World’s Climate is changing; a major cooling is considered to be inevitable – New York Times May 21, 1975

This cooling has already killed hundreds of thousands of people. If it continues and no strong action is taken, it will cause world famine, world chaos and world war, and this could all come about before the year 2000. — Lowell Ponte “The Cooling”, 1976

[pogo101]

He who controls the past controls the future. He who controls the present controls the past.

- George Orwell (1984)

[xcamel]

FReepmail me to get on or off

Click on POGW graphic for full GW rundown

New!!: Dr. John Ray's
GREENIE WATCH

The Great Global Warming Swindle Video - back on the net!! (click here)

Ping me if you find one I've missed.

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[VOA]

bump

[faq]

“a review of the literature suggests.....”

OK, I just spent 5 minutes reviewing the literature too. Found this:

“New Ice Age Coming-—It’s Already Getting Colder” - Los Angeles Times - Oct 24, 1971

“Another Ice Age?” - Time Magazine - Time - Jun 24, 1974

“Debate Over New Ice Age Heating Up” - Los Angeles Times - Sep 7, 1975

“Coming of the Great American Ice Age” - Washington Post - Jul 11, 1974

“The New Ice Age” - Time Magazine - Time - Sep 3, 1973

“Earth Facing Ice Age? Mars May Hold Clues” - Los Angeles Times - ProQuest Archiver - Apr 23, 1972

“New ice age almost upon us?” - Christian Science Monitor - Nov 14, 1979

“Scientist Sees Chilling Signs of New Ice Age” - Los Angeles Times - Sep 24, 1972

“We’re slipping into an Ice Age” - Chicago Tribune - Jan 14, 1979

And more here:
http://news.google.com/archivesearch?as_q=&num=10&btnG=Search+Archives&as_epq=ice+age&as_oq=&as_eq=&as_ldate=1970&as_hdate=1979&lr=&as_src=&as_price=p0&as_scoring=

[ChessExpert]

Here’s a nice summary of climate “science” reporting:

Fire and Ice: Journalists have warned of climate change for 100 years, but can’t decide weather we face an ice age or warming

http://www.businessandmedia.org/specialreports/2006/fireandice/fireandice.asp

[okiejack]

Quote from topic article:
“Thomas Peterson of the National Climatic Data Center said a survey of scientific journals of the era showed that only seven supported global cooling, 44 predicted warming and 20 others were neutral, USA Today reported Thursday.”

How can a scientific journal be biased one way or another and still be called a scientific journal? That’s not science at all!

The neutral journals are the only scientific journals.

[Islander7]

[muir_redwoods]

He's right. There was no consensus, i.e. lockstep, groupthink, about a coming ice age. There was free and open inquiry with opinions on both sides respected.

Ahhh, the good old days.

[RightWhale]

Consensus is not part of natural science but is part of moral judgment.

[D Rider]

Global cooling was taught in my grade school and junior high. I guess public schools were cr*p back then too.

[jpl]

Ironically, with the sun apparently heading into a quiet low activity cycle, the global cooling may very well turn out to be true after all.

[gd124]

It isn’t revisionism, he is referring to articles published in scientific journals. What Newsweek or the New York Times publishes is irrelevant regarding science.