A New York Times Op-Ed recently proclaimed that the ocean was becoming more acidic due to the absorption of man-produced carbon dioxide. The concern being that among other calamities, marine life will be endangered due to CO2-produced carbonic acid dissolving the calcium carbonate in the skeletons of corals.
In a BBC article dated October 20, 2007, British scientists claimed that Atlantic Ocean CO2 uptake halved between the mid 1990s to 2005. Obviously this finding contradicts the theory that man-produced CO2 is leading to ocean acidification. If the ocean is becoming more acidic while CO2 uptake is decreasing, there must be another cause for acidification. Alas, the British scientists remain very worried that the ocean may soon be saturated with man-produced emissions, leaving the atmosphere alone to absorb them. Global warming and other mayhem soon to follow.
Conclusion: forsaking scientific methodology, scientists often spin results to provide further income and employment. Similarly motivated, the government, media, and special interests, jump on board.
Steve Close, Santa Barbara Independent, 24 December 2008. Article.
