James Hansen’s 1988 global warming predictions vs. reality

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James Hansen’s 1988 global warming predictions vs. reality

Thursday, January 15th, 2009 | Environment, Science |

Hansen had some less alarmist scenarios, but they haven’t panned out well, either. This is data from mid-2008 (actual data in black and grey); it would look worse for Hansen now, with temperatures nearly the same as in 1988:

More recently amateur anthropogenic global warming skeptic Steve McKintyre found flaws in Hansen’s supposed actual climate numbers that Hansen later had to correct. That Wikipedia entry is far too kind to Hansen and bends over backwards to make him look as good as possible in a bad situation. Not mentioned is that McKintyre asked for Hansen’s algorithm, but Hansen - a NASA employee seemingly unfamiliar with the idea of open scientific inquiry - refused. McIntyre had to reverse-engineer the algorithm.

A few months ago Hansen beclowned himself again when the NASA department he’s in charge of, the Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS), claimed increased global temperatures in October despite record-shattering low temperatures. The change was caused by a seeming 10 degree year over year increase in the Russian October temperatures. In reality, the dramatic increase was a mistake. Someone had repeated Russia’s September data in October.

One day I expect historians of science will use Hansen as an example of what happens when scientists becomes politicized.

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