Crichton’s “State of Fear” drawing cirticism

Knight Ridder Wasinghton Bureau — Latest book puts Crichton on hot seat with scientists: Washington has embraced a Michael Crichton novel that says global warming isn’t a problem, but climate scientists say the novel is poppycock.

Sixteen of 18 top U.S. climate scientists interviewed by Knight Ridder said the Harvard-trained author is bending scientific data and distorting research.

and

Three scientists — (Martin) Hoffert, physicist Ben Santer of the Lawrence Livermore National Lab in California, and NASA’s James Hansen — told Knight Ridder that Crichton distorted their research in the novel.

and Knight Ridder Washington Bureau — Scientists respond to Crichton’s use of global warming data, studies

The Earth Institute at Columbia University — Michael Crichton’s State of Confusion. Article includes several specific references to studies Crichton referenced in the novel.

In summary, I am a little disappointed, not least because while researching this book, Crichton actually visited our lab and discussed some of these issues with me and a few of my colleagues. I guess we didn’t do a very good job. Judging from his reading list, the rather dry prose of the IPCC reports did not match up to the some of the racier contrarian texts. Had RealClimate been up and running a few years back, maybe it would’ve all worked out differently…

Also NY Times — ‘State of Fear’: Not So Hot

Liberals, environmentalists and many other straw men endure a stern thrashing in ”State of Fear,” but Crichton’s primary target is the theory of global warming, which he believes is a scientific delusion. In his zeal to expose the emperor’s nudity the author cites, ad nauseam, actual studies that seem to contradict the conventional wisdom on global warming.

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