Letter to the Editor

Letter about global warming was lacking in scientific research

How often must an error be repeated before it becomes a lie? Had Dr. Randall L. Stahly undertaken some degree of scientific research, he would have quickly discovered the following: The evidence that Mars is warming is purely anecdotal, based solely upon photos that suggest a melting polar ice cap, rather than upon hard temperature data. At the same time as this supposed warming cycle was occurring an increase in the incidence of dust storms has occurred, which would absorb more solar radiation than usual.

In fact, if Mars were warming due to some kind solar cycle, the only explanation for its warming at the same time as Earth, then an increase in solar radiation would surely be present, but this is not the case. Over the past 50 years Earth's temperature has increased, but solar radiation levels remain the same.

As for the assertion that Roger Revelle refuted Vice President Gore's claims about global warming, this seems unlikely as Revelle died in 1991, only three years after the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change was formed and shortly after it issued its first report. An article questioning the consensus was published by noted skeptic Fred Singer, who used Revelle as a co-author against the wishes of the family of the late Revelle.

If Dr. Stahly desires to find crass politics, he should look no further. In short, before repeating any lies and distorted facts, perhaps Dr. Stahly could, in the future, do a modicum of research so as not to seem a "misguided and naive" individual

MATTHEW M. MILLER, Secretary, Southeast Green Coalition, Cape Girardeau