Last month, Representative Joe Barton of Texas, Chair of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, sent a letter to several climate scientists demanding copies of raw data used in their studies. The scientists, Michael Mann of the University of Virginia, Raymond Bradley of the University of Massachusetts and Malcolm Hughes of the University of Arizona, were all co-authors of papers describing a climate change curve dubbed 'the hockey stick,' which depicts a long period of little change in climate, followed by a sharp upward swing in more recent years. While there have been papers published supporting the finding of the three researchers, others have challenged the findings. The work was among papers cited by a 2001 United Nations panel report on climate change.

Barton wrote, "In light of the Committee’s jurisdiction over energy policy and certain environmental issues, the Committee must have full and accurate information when considering matters relating to climate change policy. We open this review because this dispute surrounding your studies bears directly on important questions about the federally funded work upon which climate studies rely and the quality and transparency of analyses used to support the IPCC assessment process. With the IPCC currently working to produce a fourth assessment report, addressing questions of quality and transparency in the process and underlying analyses supporting that assessment, both scientific and economic, are of utmost importance if Congress is eventually going to make policy decisions drawing from this work."

Representatives from several scientific organizations have criticized the Barton investigation, saying that it skirts close to a governmental effort to inject itself into the regular scientific peer review process. Alan Leshner, CEO of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, said that the requests "give the impression of a search for some basis on which to discredit these particular scientists and findings, rather than a search for understanding." Sherwood Boehlert, head of the House Committee on Science, called the investigation "misguided and illegitimate." We'll talk about the controversy.

Then, we'll turn our attentions beyond Earth to the heavens. Using improved telescopes and more computing power, researchers are trying to assemble a digital map of the universe. Is Rand McNalley worried? We'll talk about the efforts, and what may be learned from them. Call in with your questions and comments at 1-800-989-8255 (2-3 Eastern). Teachers, find more information about using Science Friday as a classroom resource in the Kids' Connection.

Guests:
Elizabeth Shogren
National Environment Correspondent
National Public Radio
Washington, DC

Myron Ebell
Director of Global Warming and International Environmental Policy
Competitive Enterprise Institute
Washington, DC

Alan Leshner
CEO, American Association for the Advancement of Science
Executive Publisher, Science
Washington, DC

*************************

Michael Strauss
Project Spokesperson
Sloan Digital Sky Survey
Professor of Astronomy
Princeton University
Princeton, New Jersey

David Weinberg
Professor of Astronomy
Ohio State University
Columbus, Ohio

Books/Articles Discussed:

(find books discussed on previous broadcasts)

Search by keywords:

This segment produced by Annette Heist