It always amazes me that journalists cannot distinguish between two different ideas. That lack of critical thinking has got us into the mess we are in where special interest groups are able to convince people of really stupid ideas with little rigorous proof. ...
In the following excerpt from the ABC's Science News page there is a classic example of confusing two different phenomena:
Rising CO2 may lead Nemo to danger
Wednesday, 7 July 2010
Katherine Nightingale
ABC
Global warming could have an unexpected effect on the clownfish star of Finding Nemo and his kind, by making them indulge in risky behaviour, say researchers.
Previous research indicates that as carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the atmosphere climb the surface water of the oceans could become more acidic.
Scientists have already shown that this acidification interferes with fish larvae's sense of smell and ability to find a suitable home.
Now research led by marine researcher Professor Philip Munday of James Cook University (JCU) has found it could also make fish less aware of - and even attracted to - predators.
Did you spot the error?
In the introduction "global warming" is blamed for the behaviour but in the next paragraph it is the increasing acidity of the water caused by extra CO2 dissolving from the air into the water.
What they don't mention is that the variation in acidity in the ocean is already greater than the proposed increase in acidity caused by the higher atmospheric CO2.
No wonder people fall for the global warming myth even when they can see all around them that the air is cold.
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