As “everybody knows”—hey, even President Obama lectured us on the fact!—97% of all scientists agree: global warming is real and dangerous, and we must take drastic steps to stop it.

The “researcher” behind that claim is University of Western Australia psychology postgraduate John Cook, whose “study”  has been torn to shreds for bad data handling, bad sampling, bad literature interpretation, and horrendous statistical methodology. Cook is also the main man behind the climate alarmist website SkepticalScience.com, which purports to refute skeptics’ arguments but specializes in ad hominem attacks on the skeptics.

It turns out that Mr. Cook has been masquerading as global warming skeptic Luboš Motl in comments on a forum associated with SkepticalScience.com—a forum once visible only to members but recently visible through search engines. The real Motl discusses the matter here. And Anthony Watts asks, “Yes, why DOES John Cook of ‘SkepticalScience’ and the 97% have to use identity theft in his ‘research’?”

I ask this simple question: Why DOES ANYONE trust John Cook about ANYTHING—including the 97% claim?

 

 

Featured image courtesy of Paul Ashton, Creative Commons, used by permission.