Ray Bradley

After reading Ray Bradley’s transcription of a lecture given in 2009, these are two questions that I would ask him if I could, and why.

Because of the ways in which data is collected (ice cores, tree rings, reefs, lakes) are there areas of the world that do not have that kind of data (data that looks back thousands of years)? For example, in deserts, how is/could data be collected there?

• I would hope that he would explain where in the world there are deficits of data and why. I also would expect him to say whether or not there is a way to collect data in those places, and why they have yet to do so. I want to know if this is something that scientists are concern about or think about, or if they think that they have all this data collection under control. Do they think that they’re getting information from enough of a variety of places? I think a scientist’s perspective on this is the most important, because it is their work.

Scientists have all this information about the ways in which our climate is changing, and we know that there needs to be some switches away from coal as an energy source, but what can I do? What can someone who isn’t a political figure or millionaire do to help protect the Earth against global warming?

• I can’t say that I have any idea what he would say in response to this. After learning about what he is describing, I want to know how I can productively use this information. I want to know his answer because knowing all this is well and good, but if I can’t do anything by myself, I want to at least know how to help get this information out there.