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I recently got into another online debate with someone about anthropogenic climate change. It is frustrating to have a discussion with someone who hasn’t reviewed any scientific literature on the subject, but makes assumptions based a couple of contrarian articles found in the popular press or some fringe website.

So it was refreshing to come across an article in the Columbia Journalism Review that talks about how fringe science can hijack the scientific debate under the guise of “balanced” coverage. It specifically deals with the disproportionate weight and credibility given to so-called climate change “sceptics.”

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