Scale, November 28

https://newslit.org/

Before you go on, an article in the May 8 & May 22 issue of Science News ran with a cover "Awash in Deception:  How science can help us avoid being duped by misinformation."  In the lead article titled: "The Battle Against Fake News," Alexandra Witze presents five suggestions on how to debunk bad information.  They come from the News Literacy Project (see the above link).

How to Debunk:

1.  Arm yourself with media literacy skills, at sites such as the News Literacy Project (newslit.org), to better understand how to spot hoax videos and stories.

2.  Don't stigmatize people for holding inaccurate beliefs.  Show empathy and respect, or you're more likely to alienate your audience than successfully share accurate information.

3.  Translate complicated but true ideas into simple messages that are easy to grasp.  Videos, graphics and other visual aids can help.

4.  When possible, once you provide a factual alternative to the misinformation, explain the underlying fallacies (such as cherry- picking information, a common tactic of climate change deniers.

5.  Mobilize when you see misinformation being shared on social media as soon as possible. If you see something, say something.

"Misinformation is any information that is incorrect, whether due to error or fake news.  

"Disinformation is deliberately intended to deceive."

"Propaganda is disinformation with a political agenda."

Sander van der Linden
Social Psychologist
University of Cambridge

Source:  Science News/May 8, 2021 & May 22, 2021

Happy Hanukkah!

You might get what I say that it is sometimes difficult to appreciate the significance of a place or event when you are in the midst of experiencing it. Such has been the case for me before today. Following what is becoming a morning routine, I have been joining Laura and Paul for a 35-40 minute core/cardio workout up on the Helipad. Today after the workout I had a chance to chat with Conrad Anker, accomplished mountaineer and climate change activist.

I asked him if he thought that the plight of the world’s glaciers, including those that we will encounter on the Antarctic continent, would turn the tide of public opinion to acknowledge climate change and help to bring about changes in government and private sector policies around the world.

He started by pointing out that the westerly wind driven currents that circle the South Pole drive the ocean currents all over the globe. As soon as he said that, the proverbial lightbulb went on in my head and I began to think about South Georgia Island and Antarctica in a global context. Sure, the ocean is a beautiful azure blue, almost tropical in appearance when the angle of the Sun is right. Sure, this remote Island with its steep spine of snow covered mountains and alpine glaciers is visually spectacular. Sure the penguins, fur seals, elephant seals, Albatrosses and other polar birds are cool to see.

I’ll continue to enjoy seeing them, but now they are more than just another photo op. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not going to stop taking photos of the magnificent places that we are privileged to visit on this trip. But every photo that I take, every awe inspiring vista that I see and every conversation that I have with my companions on this journey is now driven by a mission to help people understand this place and it’s fragile magnificence. The explorers past and present that have come down here have come for different reasons. Some came out of their countries quest for national pride, some to attain personal goals, some for the thrill of adventure and the challenge to the human mind, body and soul and some for Science.

I thank all of them for bringing this place to my attention. Now, my job is to bring it to the attention of you and hope that you too will be inspired to make a difference in the quest to reverse global climate change .

Bruce

P.S. The photos that I am currently unable to share at this time for technical and geographical reasons are going to be worth the wait. Not because of my photographic skills, but because this place is now in my soul and these photos come from my soul as much as my camera equipment. I can’t wait to share them!