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Friday Wrap Up

By integrityofscience on January 5, 2007.

It's almost quittin' time, but here are a few stories we felt got the short shrift among New Year's excitement, inaugurations, and such ...

On Wednesday, the Union of Concerned Scientists released "Smoke, Mirrors & Hot Air: How ExxonMobil Uses Big Tobacco's Tactics to "Manufacture Uncertainty" on Climate Change." Now, we're assuming this is not a jaw-dropping revelation to anyone out there, but we're looking forward to reading it and hope to report back on it. Check it out here

UCS has also recently released a periodic table of political interference in science. The color-coded "A to Z Guide" is arranged in four categories: The environment, public health, pollution and contamination, and national security. I find it to be a fun and user friendly primer for those who haven't been paying attention. Check it out.

Alas, science-conscious grandmothers will be sad to hear it, but Willard Scott uttered a misleading climate observation on Tuesday. Media Matters reports.

Finally, we don't know what shortsighted political party, multinational corporation, or media pundit was behind it, but Scientific American has corrected a longstanding -- and potentially hurtful -- scientific misconception.

Happy 2007, and have a great weekend.

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