Reader Dead Dog Bounce has had some correspondence with Freeman Dyson on the subject of his recent interview with the Independent. I am reproducing their emails with permission.
Dead Dog Bounce to Freeman Dyson
Dear Professor Dyson,
I read today your correspondence with the Science Editor of the Independent, Mr Steve Connor. What came across to me was that you seemed to have more to say than the nature of the discussion allowed or encouraged. I realise that it is slightly impertinent for an interested lay-person like myself to write to a man of as much substance as yourself, but I have been following the discussions about AGW for some time, and feel that a huge opportunity presented by this correspondence appears to have been wasted. I will of course understand if this email goes without response.
I was struck by the way Mr. Connor led.the discussion with a series of closed questions. First, rather than following his lead, I should like to do the opposite and ask an open question:
1. What questions should intelligent lay-people be asking about climate, and to whom should these questions be directed?
Secondly, there is a minor storm in the blogosphere this week, where the first official "climate scientist", Dr Judith Curry, has openly criticised a graph which featured highly in the "Climategate" email scandal, where Professor Phil Jones substituted a section of "unhelpful" tree ring data with thermometer readings in a graph prepared for the World Meteorological Organisation. This is the source of the phrase "hide the decline" in tree ring data (aka the divergence problem). The discussion is available at http://judithcurry.com/2011/02/22/hiding-the-decline/.2. Would you have any comment on the "hide the decline" controversy?
3. Would you be willing for me to forward your comments to Andrew Montford, the author of the leading UK Climate sceptic blog (see http://bishophill.squarespace.com/)?
Thanks for your time, and I apologise for bothering you.
Yours Faithfully
[Dead Dog Bounce]
Freeman Dyson to Dead Dog Bounce
Dear [Dead Dog Bounce],
I am surprised that my abortive conversation with Steve Connor is now part of the public record. Nobody asked me whether I wanted it made public. Anyhow that does not matter.
Answer to your question1. Both for humans and for wildlife, water is more important than temperature. Intelligent lay-people should be asking questions about water. What are the trends over the last hundred years for total rainfall, total water vapor in the atmosphere, total volume of ice on the continents, volume of fresh water in aquifers, distribution of droughts and floods, and last but not least, sea-level? Why did the Sahara change from green six thousand years ago to desert today? What are the implications for public health and natural ecology of the changes in flow and abundance of water?
Answer to question 2. No comment.
Answer to question 3. I did not know that the Montford blog existed. You are welcome to send him these comments if you like.
Thankyou for writing.Yours sincerely,
Freeman Dyson.
As an aside, there have also been accusations that sceptic comments were censored from the Independent piece - Autonomous Mind has the story. I should add, however, my own comments got through OK, which may simply be that they were not very effective.