Climate Change

Dr Spencer R. Weart served as the Director of the Center for History of Physics at the American Institute of Physics from 1974 to 2009. He is the author of several books, including The Discovery of Global Warming and The Rise of Nuclear Fear. In our conversation, we discuss:

• How climate science emerged, what it took for scientists to form a consensus in the mid-1960s, and how that consensus has evolved since
• The IPCC’s emerging understanding of so-called “tipping points” in the climate system, and our current best guesses as to what kind of threat they pose
• Exploring the changing cultural relationship humans have had with nuclear energy — and why it remains stigmatised amongst many environmental groups

You can read more about the topics we cover in this episode's write-up: hearthisidea.com/episodes/weart

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