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Daily Archives: January 12, 2023

Assessing ExxonMobil’s global warming projections

Science [no paywall for two weeks] – Assessing ExxonMobil’s global warming projections. G. Supran. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3846-1633 , S. Rahmstorf. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6786-7723, and N. OreskesAuthors Info & Affiliations Science 13 Jan 2023 Vol 379, Issue 6628 DOI: 10.1126/science.abk0063

“In 2015, investigative journalists discovered internal company memos indicating that Exxon oil company has known since the late 1970s that its fossil fuel products could lead to global warming with “dramatic environmental effects before the year 2050.” Additional documents then emerged showing that the US oil and gas industry’s largest trade association had likewise known since at least the 1950s, as had the coal industry since at least the 1960s, and electric utilities, Total oil company, and GM and Ford motor companies since at least the 1970s. Scholars and journalists have analyzed the texts contained in these documents, providing qualitative accounts of fossil fuel interests’ knowledge of climate science and its implications. In 2017, for instance, we demonstrated that Exxon’s internal documents, as well as peer-reviewed studies published by Exxon and ExxonMobil Corp scientists, overwhelmingly acknowledged that climate change is real and human-caused. By contrast, the majority of Mobil and ExxonMobil Corp’s public communications promoted doubt on the matter.”

Close to 40% of multinational profits are shifted to tax havens each year

Missing Profits: “Researchers from the University of California, Berkeley and the University of Copenhagen estimate that close to 40% of multinational profits (close to $1 trillion in 2019) are shifted to tax havens each year. This shifting reduces corporate income tax revenue by more than $200 billion, or 10% of global corporate tax receipts. Explore… Continue Reading

Survey finds ‘classical fascist’ antisemitic views widespread in U.S.

ADL – Antisemitic Attitudes in America: Topline Findings – “Widespread belief in anti-Jewish tropes, at rates unseen for decades – Over three-quarters of Americans (85 percent) believe at least one anti-Jewish trope, as opposed to 61 percent found in 2019. Twenty percent of Americans believe six or more tropes, which is significantly more than the… Continue Reading

How to safely dispose of old medications, according to experts

Washington Post – “Unneeded prescriptions and over-the-counter drugs can be dangerous to humans, pets and the environment — but getting rid of them responsibly isn’t as simple as tossing them in the trash. If you have expired painkillers accumulating in your medicine cabinet, you’re not alone. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, studies have found… Continue Reading

Abstracts written by ChatGPT fool scientists

Nature: “An artificial-intelligence (AI) chatbot can write such convincing fake research-paper abstracts that scientists are often unable to spot them, according to a preprint posted on the bioRxiv server in late December1. Researchers are divided over the implications for science. “I am very worried,” says Sandra Wachter, who studies technology and regulation at the University… Continue Reading