Research Article
Climate Science Needs Effective Imagens
Jonathan E. Thompson*
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA
- *Corresponding Author:
- Thompson JE
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA
Tel: 794091061
E-mail: jon.thompson@ttu.edu
Received Date: July 29, 2017 Accepted Date: September 16, 2017 Published Date:September 20, 2017
Citation: Thompson JE (2017) Climate Science Needs Effective Imagens. J Earth Sci Clim Change 8: 410. doi: 10.4172/2157-7617.1000410
Copyright: © 2017 Thompson JE. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Abstract
Despite being broadly accepted by physical scientists, the prospect of anthropogenic climate change is often politically contentious among the broader public. In this short communication, I make the case for the development of more potent imagens that depict the physical science mechanism for anthropogenic influence on climate change. Imagens are graphics that allow viewers to construct mental visualizations and models of STEM related topics. To support the central thesis, I summarize recent survey data that suggests visualization of climate forcing mechanisms is crucial for acceptance among the public. In addition, I briefly discuss several case studies from history in which physical models used to visualize complex topics have been highly effective at communicating and gaining broad public acceptance of scientific hypothesis. I conclude that development and dissemination of imagens may catalyze the broader public acceptance of climate science and policy change.
