More about that Ice Age ...

The point I was attempting to make in my previous post regarding Matt Drudge having promoted an article in PRAVDA asserting that anthopogenic global warming is bad science and that we should instead expect the coming of an ice age is that one should be able to tell - even if you aren't familiar with the science of climatology - that it isn't something that merits being taken seriously. It was for that reason (plus laziness) that I didn't even bother addressing the content of the article.

Well, over at The Island of Doubt, James Hrynyshyn attempted to ignore the article, too, but found himself compelled to respond to its (lack of) scientific merit.

It's sad that it's come to this, but I feel compelled to offer some guidance on the persistent allegation that the Earth is about to enter an ice age. It all started a few days ago, when Matt Drudge added a link to an English-language Pravda (?) story claiming that "a large and compelling body of evidence from within the field of climate science" points to the impending end of the current interglacial period. Never one to care what Drudge is linking to, I tried to ignore it. But then I started getting email.

The most depressing came from someone who was good enough to provide his real name, place of occupation and contact information, none of which I will share with you, except to note that he works in "ag weather forecasting and often get questions when I'm out at farm meetings regarding global warming" and that he and his employer seem to be legitimate. He wrote:

One of my contacts is a big fan of the Milankovitch cycles and says that these offer proof that global warming is not occurring. Do you have an opinion on the Milankovitch cycles and how they should be interpreted?

Given that the email arrived shortly after the Pravda story came to Drudge's attention, it's clear that we have a problem. What we need is a primer on Milankovitch cycles. So here goes.

You can read the rest over there.

Disclosure: I sent Mr. Hrynyshyn an e-mail about this story. Not so much because I thought he needed to respond to it, but because I found it amusing that PRAVDA would magically become a credible source to certain websites the instant it promoted global warming denialism.