Censorship at the Smithsonian?
Some scientists say that officials at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History watered down sections of an exhibit on the Arctic before its launch in 2006 to avoid criticism from global-warming skeptics.
The Washington Post reports that it has obtained documents that show the museum's director, Cristian Samper, ordered changes to the exhibit to include "scientific uncertainty."
Scientists at other agencies collaborating on the project expressed in e-mails their belief that Smithsonian officials acted to avoid criticism from congressional appropriators and global-warming skeptics in the Bush administration. But Samper said in an interview last week that "there was no political pressure -- not from me, not from anyone."
The Post provides some examples of the changes made. Originally the exhibit's introductory panel said, "Over the past 50 years, the average temperatures across the Arctic have risen by nearly twice as much as the global average." After Samper asked for changes, the entrance panel read, "The Earth's climate is changing -- and it always has."
In the interview with the Post, Samper said he felt the exhibit indicated a degree of certainty beyond the contemporary science. He also acknowledged that he took a cautious approach because the exhibit had the words "climate change," which are "politically sensitive."
4:11 PM ET | 11-16-2007 | permalink
