E-Letter responses to:

reports: P. J. Webster, G. J. Holland, J. A. Curry, and H.-R. Chang Changes in Tropical Cyclone Number, Duration, and Intensity in a Warming Environment Science 2005; 309: 1844-1846 [Abstract] [Full text] [PDF]

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Published E-Letter responses:

A Lay Response to Hurricane Science and Science Magagzine Policy

Thomas M Snyder   (29 September 2005)

A Lay Response to Hurricane Science and Science Magagzine Policy 29 September 2005
Thomas M Snyder, hospital administration concerned citizen Respond to this E-Letter: Re: A Lay Response to Hurricane Science and Science Magagzine Policy	Dear Editors and Publishers, I just read Eugene Robison's Washington Post editorial, "Storms Concentrate the Mind" (9/23/05), in which he refers to the research in this article. My interest kindled, I directed myself to the web version of your magazine fully expecting to be turned away by membership or other restrictions. I was pleasantly surprised, and encouraged, to find available to me your free selection of articles on hurricane- related topics, and read them with great interest. Following my reading, the immediate response that came to mind was, bless you for your public service. By making available to the public sound science that demonstrates the relationship between increases in ocean surface temperature and the most severe hurricanes, you greatly contribute to both the education of the lay reader, and the public policy debate. And although I'm not likely to start my Monday morning water cooler conversation with, "Say, did you see that Science Magazine article about increases in cyclonic storm intensity," I might. The point is, that with so much of the public, and many policy makers, either ignorant about or hostel to basic science -- from misguided educators toying with inclusion of intelligent design into school curricula, to self-serving politicians failing to make prudent policy decisions in the face of potentially disastrous consequences resulting from global warming -- it is valuable and important that easily accessible primary scientific sources be made available to the lay citizenry. Your decision to provide an open source of information and communication not only raises the level of scientific literacy and policy debate –- it provides us each (tired as we are of hearing about catastrophic storm damage and a foreign war) with a refreshingly pristine source of knowledge in a world where we are otherwise overwhelmed by spin, bias, and outright deceit.