Michael Crichton, one of the world’s most popular authors and a pioneer of modern science fiction, died yesterday at age 66 following a long battle with cancer. His ubiquitous books, including Jurassic Park and The Andromeda Strain, helped elevate science to a new status in pop culture, and ushered new technologies such as cloning into the mainstream. A graduate of Harvard Medical School, he also brought medicine to the forefront of entertainment by creating the TV show “ER,” which won him an Emmy, a Peabody Award, and a Writer’s Guild of America Award.
But while his career was unparalleled and his brilliance unquestionable, Crichton inspired a good deal of controversy concerning a crucial issue: global warming. His skepticism over the threat of climate change was so great that it culminated in a novel, State of Fear, published in 2004. The book, a typical Crichton-style thriller, revolves around an evil environmentalist mastermind who commits terrorist acts to center attention on climate change. It features footnotes, graphs, and other references culled from the three years the author spent researching the topic—all reflecting Crichton’s view that the current rising global temperatures aren’t necessarily a result of human action.
The book, and Crichton’s views, have garnered plenty of criticism and dismay from climate experts and researchers, many of whom pointed out that the studies referenced in the novel had in fact been included and analyzed within the peer-reviewed scientific assessment of global warming—the same process that concluded climate change was both a threat to humanity, and caused by man. While the book did incite healthy debate and draw attention to the issue, it also provided fuel for global warming deniers looking to squelch the existing scientific evidence.
Perhaps the greatest benefit of the work, and Crichton’s efforts to discuss counterpoints to the scientific consensus, was that it helped thrust the issue firmly to the forefront of public discussion, where it undeniably remains today.
Image: iStockPhoto
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November 5th, 2008 at 6:15 pm
You should be proud of yourselves, Discover Magazine. Way to not even wait one day after a wonderful human being dies before you trash him for standing up for his scientific beliefs. All of Michael’s incredible accomplishments garner only one paragraph, while you spend the remaining three paragraphs ripping him for his stance on global warming. You are despicable human beings.
November 5th, 2008 at 8:14 pm
Since the media won’t report it: October 2008 has seen the fastest Arctic sea ice extent growth ever recorded. According to the data published by IARC-JAXA, the amount of growth has reached 3,481,575 square kilometers for the month, or 112,319 sq km per day on avg. This is indicative of the global cooling trend. The Pacific Ocean is now several years into the cool phase of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation, and it’s more than likely global cooling will be the trend for the next 20-30 years. If Solar Cycle 24 continues to be mild, we may be looking at a cooling event similar to those experienced during the Little Ice Age. Now’s not the time to be bankrupting the coal industry. The government should be preparing the country for crop failures and starvation brought on by global cooling.
November 5th, 2008 at 8:48 pm
One of the few times in the life of an extremist Republican and Christian when he or she is correct in predicting global cooling by assuming room temperature.
November 6th, 2008 at 1:15 pm
@Jamie T:
i don’t see how she was at all “ripping” the man for his beliefs on global warming. if anything, she let him off easy. like it or not, Crichton’s misguided crusade against the most urgent environmental crisis of our time will be his lasting legacy. he should have stuck with science-lite fantasy fluff like Jurassic Park. his completely fabricated hit job on climate scientists, otherwise known as a “novel” by the name of State of Fear, was crass political propaganda at its worst, and i think he will rightfully be known by posterity more for this backwards view than any of the decent things he accomplished as a writer. so spare us all your outrage, please. it’s funny that you flew off the handle like you did — histrionically calling the writer of this blog “despicable,” no less — when all she did was discuss the basic facts of Crichton’s work in his final years. that just proves, to my mind, that your position can’t even tolerate a simple, unbiased examination of the facts — cuz you and Michael Crichton are flat wrong about global warming! any reactionary like Crichton who actively works to thwart progress on such a crucial issue should be discussed during and after their lifetime, the fallacies they promulgated exposed, and hopefully the damage they did undone.
November 6th, 2008 at 10:37 pm
I wonder how the obituary read for Galileo, maybe included: “writer, heretic and earthcentric skeptic”, “Galileo’s wild opinions have garnered plenty of criticism and dismay from experts, the church, and researchers, many of whom pointed out that the studies referenced are clearly in conflict with the Bible and church orthodoxy and in fact had been included and analyzed within the peer-reviewed scientific assessment of the universe—the same process that concluded the earth is certainly the center of the universe.
November 7th, 2008 at 1:15 am
Dear Tempest in a Tea Pot (aka Global Climate Chaos);
Your ilk really should stop rewriting the history of the Maunder Minimum, Galileo Galilei (1564 – 1642) (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galileo), and current events. Like Galileo Galilei, Michael Crichton will not be dead as long as Dr. Bill Frist is practicing corporate medicine for other extremist Republicans and Christians using the Terri Schiavo approach to the scientific method. (It may be necessary for Marc Morano to tickled or wiggled Crichton’s corpse from behind.) Crichton is just one of the phony experts for Evil Inhofe and other extremist Republicans and Christians who can kiss my toxic butt on the way to Hell for global warming and related catastrophes. “A. Our Ozonator’s preamble for Survival … 4. Over the last couple of weeks and without a Welsh choir, I have made a number of correct global warming predictions with earthquakes, solar flares, sunspots, hurricane(s). By comparison, extremist Republican and Christian scientists took great pains to tell one and all they were superior to people like me and other victims without making any predictions with unfolding events, failing to notice the current events they are claiming expert analysis over, fail to agree on basic facts among themselves, and actually lie about indisputable facts. … their assertions that the Sun is totally blank during weeks that sunspots “suddenly” appeared would mean that these people had some one else write their own articles and were further removed from their claims that the Sun is causing global warming. Careful study of the Maunder Minimum and the Dark Ages by extremist Republicans and Christians gave them the basis to throw out data that didn’t provide them power and money … “AUGUST SUNSPOTS: Contrary to reports, August 2008 was not the first month since June 1913 without a sunspot. August did have a sunspot, and here it is … a bipolar active region that appeared on Aug. 21st … As far as anyone can tell, the ongoing solar minimum is historically normal” (“What’s up in Space”; Dr. Tony Phillips; spaceweather.com, 9/4/08) … “The last time the sunspot cycle went into extended hibernation was during the so-called Maunder Minimum between the years 1645 and 1715. This period coincided with Europe’s “Little Ice Age,” …” (“Jimmy Westlake: What’s up with the sun?”; By Jimmy Westlake, Celestial News column, Professor of astronomy and physics at Colorado Mountain College’s Alpine Campus; steamboatpilot.com, 9/28/08) … “Since the sun, and not carbon dioxide, is the principle driver of climate change, a dearth of sunspot activity would herald a repeat of the Maunder Minimum” (“Spotless Sun Prompts Scientist to Fear Dramatic Turn into Global Cooling”;Marc Morano Round-Up Part II, herbicide and head rump ranger/duster to Evil Inhofe, rightsidenews.com, 8/21/08) … “Story #4: First Sunspot-less Month in Hundred Years … RUSH … “Sun Makes History: First Spotless Month in a Century — Drop in solar activity has potential effect for climate on earth.” This is the first month in 100 years where there were no sunspots … “In the past 1000 years, three previous such events — the Dalton, Maunder, and Spörer Minimums, have all led to rapid cooling. One was large enough to be called a ‘mini ice age’…” (“Stack of Stuff Quick Hits Page”; Mr. Rush “Chemical LABI” Limbaugh of Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity – extremist Republican and Christian corporate lap dancers – downer cow media outlets of ESSO plagiarism; prison escapees from Planet-Star Wormwoody Jenkins – screwed General Motors now working on Scooter Store products; rushlimbaugh.com, 9/2/08)” (“GBRWE 10/26 – 11/1/08’s Extreme Planetary Warnings for Earthquakes, Volcanoes, and Solar/Terrestrial Flares from Human Activities”; Robert Rhodes, Supplemental; GBRWE 10/26 – 11/1/08, 10/25/08).
November 7th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
More and more people are beginning to understand the truth of Crichton’s arguments against environmental hysteria. This election saw most Global Warming initiatives fail, for good reason. The principle reason is that most consumers, farmers, ranchers and foresters understand two things. First, global warming is good, not bad. Second, carbon in general and carbon dioxide in particular is good, not bad. Higher average temperatures together with higher concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere reduce crop failures and improve crop, grazing and forest production. Those two factors are the principal forces greening the planet and feeding all of us today. Liberal and eco-cults want to torpedo that winning combination. Why? Perhaps readers have some ideas here.
November 7th, 2008 at 4:32 pm
Dear John;
You should avoid an American extremist sex tourist vacation in Cuba for several years. After several hurricane ecosystems in 2008, the Cubans probably are contemplating the death sentence for our legal, international terrorism of environmental racism from our global warming “hoax”. Hurricane Paloma must be another global warming hoax otherwise Forbes Syndrome, Dollar Bill Gray, pro-life rabbit Warren, and Golly Gee Jauregui would have mentioned it a few days earlier. “Our economy is also vulnerable to dangerous ideas … save the planet from global warming. There is growing consensus that temperatures on earth correlate to sunspot activity … we’re seeing … global cooling that we haven’t seen since the “Little Ice Age” three centuries ago … volcanoes all dramatically affect temperatures. But carbon dioxide? No way” (“Steve: The Cap & Trade Charade”; Steve “corporate douche bag” Forbes; forbes.com, dated 11/3/08 6:00 AM ET but may have actually published on 10/31/08). “I have been studying and teaching weather and climate for over 50 years and have been making real-time seasonal hurricane forecasts for a quarter-century … human-induced warming scenarios … have basic flaws … do not properly model the globe’s deep ocean circulation “ (“OVER-HYPING OF GREEN”; by William M. Gray; 1st time failed to mention his part in Colorado State University’s hurricane forecast team, led by Dr. William Gray and Dr. Phil Klotzbach; junkscience.com, By Steven Milloy, corporate whore of Fox News and cigarette murderer, ExxonMobil, and extra man-loved by LABI Limbaugh, found on 11/5/08, 1st referenced article in the left column of the website – the sweet spot for semi-illiterate dittoheads). If the US ever needs to outsource stupidity, “… the general worldwide trend to cooler temperatures, and accompanying cold weather patterns, has a perfectly obvious explanation: “It’s the sunspot cycle, stupid.” … sunspots haven’t been showing at all (for the first time in almost a century)” (“Save us, please, from those who would save the earth”; David “sucking sound” Warren, The Ottawa Citizen; canada.com, 11/2/08).
November 8th, 2008 at 4:16 pm
With condolences to Central America, <$250,000 part of the Caymans, and Cuba
Jurassic pork once more turns into the Bay of Corporate Pigs with no embargo on global warming components, products, and another dead extremist “martyr” –
“Paloma becomes Category 4 storm, heads toward Cuba” (By TRENT JACOBS, Associated Press Writer; news.yahoo.com, 11/8/08).
November 10th, 2008 at 2:40 pm
Guess what happens to stars (the sun is a star) after millions of years? They expand to the point that objects in their gravitational fields (planets like earth) get swallowed up and incinerated. The end is near! OK maybe not THAT near – but it will happen, eventually. Should we all just give up? Why get out of bed? Come on people, this planet has had ice ages more than once, and they melted and happen again. Humans had nothing to do with that and it still happened. Sorry to hear of MC passing. I am also a skeptic.
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