Who woulda thunk it...
----------------------------------------- [h=1]Trump's New White House Communications Director Believes The Earth Is 5,500 Years Old[/h]
Trevor Nace , CONTRIBUTOR
Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own.
Anthony Scaramucci, the new White House communications director (Credit: Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images)
In a flurry of activity last week, Anthony Scaramucci became the White House communications director while President Trump accepted Sean Spicer's resignation. In doing so, President Trump gave one of the biggest microphones in the world to someone who believes the Earth is 5,500 years old.
Scaramucci, one of many Wall Streeters who now influence the Trump Administration, is known for his business acumen as a salesman. Unfortunately, that does not translate into the realm of science, to which Scaramucci unfoundedly disagrees with basic conclusions of science.
In an interview on CNN in 2016 Scaramucci compared the consensus on climate change to the once held belief that the world is flat. First, the ancient Greeks, 2,000 years ago, believed we lived on a sphere. Yes, there were scientists that believed the Earth was flat, yet when presented with solid evidence otherwise the science community eventually changed their stance.
This is an example of where data led to a change in belief about our world. In the scenario of climate change, there is overwhelming data that points toward human's influence in rapidly changing the climate. We are in a similar era of accepting the Earth is in fact round, whereby data is presented to alter our mindset of how the Earth operates.
A 2015 Pew Research Center survey found significant differences in what scientists and the public believe on several issues, one of which is climate change. The report found that 94% of scientists say climate change is "very serious" compared to 65% of the public. In addition, 87% of scientists blame human activity on modern climate change, compared to 50% of the public.
In the same interview Scaramucci said he believes the Earth is 5,500 years old, saying the scientific community has gotten things wrong in the past; a similar argument used for his belief in climate change.
"You're saying the scientific community knows, and I'm saying people have gotten things wrong throughout the 5,500-year history of our planet," said Scaramucci in the interview.
Scaramucci goes on to say that human history is 5,500 years old. It's unclear whether he believes both or only the latter. However, written history dates back to over 5,500 years while human artifacts date back well over 10,000 years.
Any scientist will openly admit the scientific community has gotten things wrong in the past. However, hard facts and data has eventually prevailed and changed that understanding. Discrediting the vast amount of data that the Earth is 4.54 billion years old because sometimes scientists have gotten it wrong in the past is illogical.
That's like telling a doctor you no longer believe in modern cancer treatment because doctors used mercury to heal ailments in 1,500 BC.
Scaramucci has the right to doubt the science of climate change or the age of the Earth. Skepticism is a key component of furthering our understanding of the world and something most scientists are used to. However, it becomes dangerous when elected officials frame their decisions around a disbelief of science. At the moment, Scaramucci is putting his personal beliefs before the best interests of his constituents.
For instance, imagine a politician in Flint, Michigan saying they don't believe that high concentrations of iron in water is dangerous to human health. He discredits the science surrounding lead poisoning and claims there is no consensus. Then, that politician goes on to make dangerous policy decisions surrounding that disbelief.
President Trump has surrounded himself with science deniers, whether intentionally or not. Thus, we find ourselves in a difficult situation whereby policy will be decided based on a disbelief of science and disregard for the fundamentals of data driven conclusions.
----------------------------------------- [h=1]Trump's New White House Communications Director Believes The Earth Is 5,500 Years Old[/h]
Trevor Nace , CONTRIBUTOR
Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own.
Anthony Scaramucci, the new White House communications director (Credit: Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images)
In a flurry of activity last week, Anthony Scaramucci became the White House communications director while President Trump accepted Sean Spicer's resignation. In doing so, President Trump gave one of the biggest microphones in the world to someone who believes the Earth is 5,500 years old.
Scaramucci, one of many Wall Streeters who now influence the Trump Administration, is known for his business acumen as a salesman. Unfortunately, that does not translate into the realm of science, to which Scaramucci unfoundedly disagrees with basic conclusions of science.
In an interview on CNN in 2016 Scaramucci compared the consensus on climate change to the once held belief that the world is flat. First, the ancient Greeks, 2,000 years ago, believed we lived on a sphere. Yes, there were scientists that believed the Earth was flat, yet when presented with solid evidence otherwise the science community eventually changed their stance.
This is an example of where data led to a change in belief about our world. In the scenario of climate change, there is overwhelming data that points toward human's influence in rapidly changing the climate. We are in a similar era of accepting the Earth is in fact round, whereby data is presented to alter our mindset of how the Earth operates.
A 2015 Pew Research Center survey found significant differences in what scientists and the public believe on several issues, one of which is climate change. The report found that 94% of scientists say climate change is "very serious" compared to 65% of the public. In addition, 87% of scientists blame human activity on modern climate change, compared to 50% of the public.
In the same interview Scaramucci said he believes the Earth is 5,500 years old, saying the scientific community has gotten things wrong in the past; a similar argument used for his belief in climate change.
"You're saying the scientific community knows, and I'm saying people have gotten things wrong throughout the 5,500-year history of our planet," said Scaramucci in the interview.
Scaramucci goes on to say that human history is 5,500 years old. It's unclear whether he believes both or only the latter. However, written history dates back to over 5,500 years while human artifacts date back well over 10,000 years.
Any scientist will openly admit the scientific community has gotten things wrong in the past. However, hard facts and data has eventually prevailed and changed that understanding. Discrediting the vast amount of data that the Earth is 4.54 billion years old because sometimes scientists have gotten it wrong in the past is illogical.
That's like telling a doctor you no longer believe in modern cancer treatment because doctors used mercury to heal ailments in 1,500 BC.
Scaramucci has the right to doubt the science of climate change or the age of the Earth. Skepticism is a key component of furthering our understanding of the world and something most scientists are used to. However, it becomes dangerous when elected officials frame their decisions around a disbelief of science. At the moment, Scaramucci is putting his personal beliefs before the best interests of his constituents.
For instance, imagine a politician in Flint, Michigan saying they don't believe that high concentrations of iron in water is dangerous to human health. He discredits the science surrounding lead poisoning and claims there is no consensus. Then, that politician goes on to make dangerous policy decisions surrounding that disbelief.
President Trump has surrounded himself with science deniers, whether intentionally or not. Thus, we find ourselves in a difficult situation whereby policy will be decided based on a disbelief of science and disregard for the fundamentals of data driven conclusions.
