Climate Science, Risk and Solutions: The MIT Climate Primer

Speakers: Laur Hesse Fisher, Kerry Emanuel

This video introduces the MIT Climate Primer, an open online interactive space to explore climate science, climate change, risks and solutions. Through 11 short digital “chapters,” this Webby Award–winning website leads you through the story of how scientists came to realize that human actions are changing the Earth’s climate, as well as the open questions that scientists are still working to answer. Along the way, you can interact with graphics, quizzes, narration, videos and additional resources to go deeper on the topics you are most curious about.


License: Creative Commons BY-NC-SA

[Pyriphlegeton]

Looks like a great resource, thanks!
Making the science more accessible and understandable to the public is increasingly important.

[jplourde]

👋Wonderful post! Thank you, scientists of MIT, so much for publishing this information in an accessible way. So I have a question about water vapor. The post indicates that water vapor is not as much of a concern compared with CO2 because carbon stays in the atmosphere for much longer. HOWEVER, wouldn't a warming planet have more water vapor in the atmosphere on a continuous basis, since warmer temperatures lead to more evaporation? So even while water vapor condenses and indeed precipitates, isn't there simply more of it on a day to day basis? Is this an environmental cascade, and how is this not a concern? 💚

[B_knows_A_R_D-xhlo]

I don't know but I do know!! 0:21 sustainability 0:28

[BarMagnet]

How long does it take a molecule of CO2 released at 12km high and 500 degrees Celsius to reach the ground where it can be processed. Concentrated CO2 does not belong at that altitude. Shouldn't the answer to that question be known before dumping it up there?

[dantown]

Where's the data from 2000 b.c. ?

[ianhangen]

Does the IB program help you get into this university?

[sunshinebeauty]

Just one question. Do you get any direct or indirect funding from government or government related organization?

[Matt-voge]

Has MIT calculated how much tin foil will be required for all the hats to be made for all the "sceptics" in the comments section 🤔

[moroteseoinage]

Climate change is political. It’s more important that we learn to adapt. We’re never going to curb consumption.

[adamnowak]

You forgot about Milankovitch Cycles (sun relative movement).

[martf]

Why dont we ever hear about the fact that earth's rotation is slowing down, and that it's orbit around the sun is getting closer.?!?
These are definitly the 2 main reasons why the surface temperature is rising.
And what about the ozone layer?? Was a major concern 30 years ago..

[paulmitchell]

How many tons of noxious chemicals are sprayed into our skies each year to control weather and temperature ?

[MrBlister]

Has anyone watched the documentary, "Climate: The Movie (The Cold Truth)"? And if so, any thoughts?

[simonscherer]

Climate Religion has failed! - Thank you.

[blackmagick]

Here's the useless college classes. Surprising to come from MIT. I thought they would have higher standards

[DavideZamblera]

Mitigation is practically impossible to succeed, since it is a multi-nation endeavour. In order to carry it out successfully a structure that has legislative and executive power over the major CO2 emitter countries is required, and such entity does not exist.

[mve]

1:20 Funny how todays estimated arctic temperature, based on proxy-measurements, is not much different from 500 CE. Unfortunately the graph is altered by the green line, which suggests much higher temperatures, but which is based on different measurements. Every scientist knows this is dishonest and misleading!

[JH-ptih]

So MIT's OpenCourseWare channel is children's programming? Or am I watching the Idiocracy version of MIT? But it's okay, my wife went to MIT.

[BillyTheKidCENTURION]

But CO2 follows warming? The "Medieval Warm Period" was hotter than today. The "Roman Warm Period" was hotter than today. The "Mid-Holocene warm period" was hotter than today. The sea levels were higher, the temperature was warmer Nothing today is caused by humans, and this recording I've made will be put on other video hosting platforms!

[DocAkins]

To summarize the video: Correlation reliably implies causation.