PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Public misperception about scientific agreement on global warming undermines climate policy support

2011-11-22
(Press-News.org) FAIRFAX, Va., November 21, 2011—People who believe there is a lot of disagreement among scientists about global warming tend to be less certain that global warming is happening and less supportive of climate policy, researchers at George Mason, San Diego State, and Yale Universities report in a new study published in the journal Nature Climate Change.

A recent survey of climate scientists conducted by researchers at the University of Illinois found near unanimous agreement among climate scientists that human-caused global warming is happening.

This new George Mason University study, however, using results from a national survey of the American public, finds that many Americans believe that most climate scientists actually disagree about the subject.

In the national survey conducted in June 2010, two-thirds of respondents said they either believed there is a lot of disagreement among scientists about whether or not global warming is happening (45 percent), that most scientists think it is not happening (5 percent), or that they did not know enough to say (16 percent.) These respondents were less likely to support climate change policies and to view climate change as a lower priority.

By contrast, survey respondents who correctly understood that there is widespread agreement about global warming among scientists were themselves more certain that it is happening, and were more supportive of climate policies.

"Misunderstanding the extent of scientific agreement about climate change is important because it undermines people's certainty that climate change is happening, which in turn reduces their conviction that America should find ways to deal with the problem," says Edward Maibach, director of the Center for Climate Change Communication at George Mason University.

Maibach argues that a campaign should be mounted to correct this misperception. "It is no accident that so many Americans misunderstand the widespread scientific agreement about human-caused climate change. A well-financed disinformation campaign deliberately created a myth about there being lack of agreement. The climate science community should take all reasonable measures to put this myth to rest."

INFORMATION:

About George Mason University

George Mason University is an innovative, entrepreneurial institution with global distinction in a range of academic fields. Located in Northern Virginia near Washington, D.C., Mason provides students access to diverse cultural experiences and the most sought-after internships and employers in the country. Mason offers strong undergraduate and graduate degree programs in engineering and information technology, organizational psychology, health care and visual and performing arts. With Mason professors conducting groundbreaking research in areas such as climate change, public policy and the biosciences, George Mason University is a leading example of the modern, public university. George Mason University—Where Innovation Is Tradition.

END



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Hypertension affects brain capacity

2011-11-22
Can dementias and mild cognitive impairment be influenced in their course by diseases and risk factors? This is the subject of a study reported by Thorleif Etgen and co-authors in the current issue of Deutsches Ärzteblatt International (Dtsch Arztebl Int 2011; 108[44]: 743-50). Increasingly larger numbers of people are affected by mild cognitive impairments and even dementia, which means that early detection of possible precursors as well as diagnosis and therapy of risk factors that can actually be influenced are gaining in importance. The term "mild cognitive impairment" ...

Older adults in home health care at elevated risk for unsafe meds

2011-11-22
NEW YORK (Nov. 21, 2011) -- Older adults receiving home health care may be taking a drug that is unsafe or ineffective for someone their age. In fact, nearly 40 percent of seniors receiving medical care from a home health agency are taking at least one prescription medication that is considered potentially inappropriate to seniors, a new study in the Journal of General Internal Medicine has revealed. The study's researchers, led by Dr. Yuhua Bao, assistant professor of public health at Weill Cornell Medical College, found that home health care patients aged 65 and over ...

LateRooms.com - Experience York's Festival of Angels This Christmas

2011-11-22
A collection of dramatic ice sculptures will be seen on the streets of York next month, when the city's Festival of Angels returns for 2011.   Held during the run-up to Christmas each year, the event is a popular winter celebration that also includes snow showers, street entertainment, shopping stalls and plenty of food and drink.   This year's festival is due to take place on Saturday December 10th and Sunday December 11th.   The ice sculptures are the main attraction of the event, which has been held in York since 2000.   Illuminated by the city's Christmas lights, ...

It pays to be healthier

2011-11-22
Financial incentives work for doctors. Could they work for patients, too? Could they encourage them to change unhealthy behaviors and use preventive health services more? In some cases, yes, according to Dr. Marita Lynagh from the University of Newcastle in Australia, and colleagues. Their work, looking at why financial incentives for patients could be a good thing to change risky health behaviors, indicates that incentives are likely to be particularly effective at altering 'simple' behaviors e.g. take-up of immunizations, primarily among socially disadvantaged groups. ...

Cancer drug cisplatin found to bind like glue in cellular RNA

Cancer drug cisplatin found to bind like glue in cellular RNA
2011-11-22
EUGENE, Ore. -- (Nov. 21, 2011) -- An anti-cancer drug used extensively in chemotherapy binds pervasively to RNA -- up to 20-fold more than it does to DNA, a surprise finding that suggests new targeting approaches might be useful, according to University of Oregon researchers. Medical researchers have long known that cisplatin, a platinum compound used to fight tumors in nearly 70 percent of all human cancers, attaches to DNA. Its attachment to RNA had been assumed to be a fleeting thing, says UO chemist Victoria J. DeRose, who decided to take a closer look due to recent ...

LateRooms.com - Prague Venue to Stage Disney on Ice

2011-11-22
Disney on Ice: Princesses and Heroes is heading to the Czech capital next month.   The spectacular ice skating show, which will be staged at the Tesla Arena on Saturday December 3rd and Sunday December 4th, should provide a pre-Christmas treat for families in the city.   Members of the audience can expect to see many of their favourite characters from Disney's most popular films, including Cinderella, Snow White, Jasmine from Aladdin and Ariel from The Little Mermaid.   There will also be plenty of daring high jumps and acrobatic feats from the skaters, as well as ...

Iowa State University scientists genetically increase algae biomass by more than 50 percent

Iowa State University scientists genetically increase algae biomass by more than 50 percent
2011-11-22
AMES, Iowa - Research at Iowa State University has led to discovery of a genetic method that can increase biomass in algae by 50 to 80 percent. The breakthrough comes from expressing certain genes in algae that increase the amount of photosynthesis in the plant, which leads to more biomass. Expressing genes means that the gene's function is turned on. "The key to this (increase in biomass) is combination of two genes that increases the photosynthetic carbon conversion into organic matter by 50 percent over the wild type under carbon dioxide enrichment conditions," said ...

AsiaRooms.com - Watch Pattaya Players' Production of Cinderella This Winter

2011-11-22
The joys of Christmas pantomimes are to be brought to Pattaya in a fun-filled production of Cinderella this winter.   Staged by the Pattaya Players, a popular amateur theatre troupe, the show premieres on November 25th and 26th, with further dates on December 1st, 3rd, 4th, 9th and 10th.   Attendees will be able to experience all the fun of the famous fairytale story in this British panto classic, which has been adapted for local audiences by writer Ray Lightbown and director Wendy Khan.   Kids and grown-ups alike will delight in the antics of Cinderella, Buttons, ...

New safe practices room provides prevention training space for nursing students

New safe practices room provides prevention training space for nursing students
2011-11-22
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Nursing is among construction and law enforcement as one of seven professions reporting the most on-the-job injuries, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Sprains, strains or tears due to overexertion account for many of the injuries. Those injuries often can be attributed to improperly lifting, handling and moving patients. Now, nursing students at the University of Missouri have a new facility that will help them develop skills to keep themselves and their patients safe. An unused locker room in the Sinclair School of Nursing has been ...

Ignorance is bliss when it comes to challenging social issues

2011-11-22
WASHINGTON -- The less people know about important complex issues such as the economy, energy consumption and the environment, the more they want to avoid becoming well-informed, according to new research published by the American Psychological Association. And the more urgent the issue, the more people want to remain unaware, according to a paper published online in APA's Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. "These studies were designed to help understand the so-called 'ignorance is bliss' approach to social issues," said author Steven Shepherd, a graduate ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Signs identified that precede sudden arrhythmic death syndrome in young people

Discovery of bacteria's defence against viruses becomes a piece of the puzzle against resistance

Pre-eclampsia is associated with earlier onset and higher incidence of cardiovascular risk factors

Warwick astronomers discover doomed pair of spiralling stars on our cosmic doorstep

Soil conditions significantly increase rainfall in world’s megastorm hotspots

NK cells complexed with bispecific antibody yield high response rates in patients with lymphoma

Planetary health diet and mediterranean diet associated with similar survival and sustainability benefits

Singapore launches national standard to validate antimicrobial disinfectant products

Molecular stool test could improve detection of tuberculosis in adults with HIV

Suspected fibrocartilaginous embolus in Asian small-clawed otter (Aonyx cinereus)

Enhancing heat transfer using the turbulent flow of viscoelastic fluids

Exercise as an anti-ageing intervention to avoid detrimental impact of mental fatigue

UMass Amherst Nursing Professor Emerita honored as ‘Living Legend’

New guidelines aim to improve cystic fibrosis screening

Picky eaters by day, buffet by night: Butterfly, moth diets sync to plant aromas

Pennington Biomedical’s Dr. Leanne Redman honored with the E. V. McCollum Award from the American Society for Nutrition

CCNY physicists uncover electronic interactions mediated via spin waves

Researchers’ 3D-printing formula may transform future of foam

Nurture more important than nature for robotic hand

Drug-delivering aptamers target leukemia stem cells for one-two knockout punch

New study finds that over 95% of sponsored influencer posts on Twitter were not disclosed

New sea grant report helps great lakes fish farmers navigate aquaculture regulations

Strain “trick” improves perovskite solar cells’ efficiency

How GPS helps older drivers stay on the roads

Estrogen and progesterone stimulate the body to make opioids

Dancing with the cells – how acoustically levitating a diamond led to a breakthrough in biotech automation

Machine learning helps construct an evolutionary timeline of bacteria

Cellular regulator of mRNA vaccine revealed... offering new therapeutic options

Animal behavioral diversity at risk in the face of declining biodiversity

Finding their way: GPS ignites independence in older adult drivers

[Press-News.org] Public misperception about scientific agreement on global warming undermines climate policy support