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A Cancer Diagnosis Reframed How Ben Santer Thinks About Climate Science

Yesterday · 1 hr
0:00-1:00:40

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Atmospheric scientist Ben Santer pioneered the research that connects human activity to specific climate events. Now, pursuing treatment for a rare type of lymphoma, he sees his own diagnosis and his climate science as the same kind of detective work: using essential and basic science to conduct tests, read complex markers, and rule out every other cause. Even while ill, he's calling out efforts by the Trump administration to reject, defund and ignore the science we all depend on. 

“If we leave basic science behind because the administration doesn't like the results of the science, then as Americans, we're not gonna thrive, and the planet isn't gonna thrive either,” Santer says.


Guests: 

Ben Santer, Atmospheric Scientist, University of East Anglia  

Rachel Rothschild, Assistant Professor, University of Michigan Law School


Highlights:

00:00 – Introduction 

 2:24 – Ben Santer on how he’s doing amidst his health issues

 6:43 – Ben Santer on having the motivation to keep going 

 11:21 – Ben Santer on what it means to find human fingerprints on climate disruption 

16:52 – Ben Santer on the importance of climate measuring 

20:23 – Ben Santer on persevering through personal attacks and credible death threats

31:01 – Ben Santer on the effect of Trump administration funding cuts

33:43 – Ben Santer dealing with grief 

38:54 – Rachel Rothschild on how state superfund laws work

42:26 – Rachel Rothschild on having her personal communication targeted

47:40 – Rachel Rothschild on the personal tax of doing her work 

51:45 – Rachel Rothschild on what surprised her   


For show notes and related links, visit ⁠our episode page⁠ at ClimateOne.org

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