Fake News, Real Science Final Exam

Data visualizations

Visual representations of data to help interpret trends and patterns.

Earth's energy budget diagram

A system model showing incoming and outgoing energy flows on Earth.

Feedback loops in Earth systems

Processes where a change in one part of a system causes further change (positive or negative).

Scientific uncertainty

The idea that all scientific measurements and models include a degree variability

Climate forcings

External factors (like greenhouse gases, solar radiation) that influence Earth's climate system.

Earth's radiation budget

Balance between incoming solar energy and outgoing infrared energy.

Climate models

Simulations that predict future climate patterns based on data and assumptions.

Uranium enrichment

Increasing the percentage of U-235 for reactors or weapons.

Risks of nuclear energy

Includes reactor accidents, waste storage issues, and long-term radioactive contamination.

Pros and cons of nuclear energy

Pros: Low carbon emissions, high energy output; Cons: Waste disposal, accident risks.

Characteristics of science

Testable, falsifiable, reproducible, peer-reviewed.

Science vs. pseudoscience

Science follows evidence and testing; pseudoscience relies on beliefs without testing.

Demarcation of science

Separating legitimate science from pseudoscience based on falsifiability.

Falsification

The ability for a theory to be proven wrong by evidence.

Peer review

The process where other experts evaluate scientific research before publication.

Fallacious reasoning

Flawed arguments that misuse logic or reasoning.

Types of fallacious reasoning

Straw man, slippery slope, ad hominem, false dilemma.

Science as processes

Methods of inquiry like experiments and observations.

Science as social practices

Collaborative, structured systems for producing scientific knowledge.

How science guards against enduring error

Through peer review, replication, transparency, and critical scrutiny.

Scientific expertise

Knowledge based on years of study and peer evaluation.

Scientific consensus

General agreement among scientists based on collective evidence.

Competent outsider

A knowledgeable non-specialist who can still engage meaningfully with scientific ideas.

System 1 thinking

Fast, intuitive, automatic decision-making.

System 2 thinking

Slow, effortful, logical decision-making.

System 1 heuristics

Mental shortcuts used to make quick judgments.

How to create a system model

Identify system parts, flows, and feedbacks, and draw connections.

How to interpret a system model

Understand how changes affect different parts of the system.

How to use a system model for prediction

Predict outcomes by simulating changes in variables.

Positive feedback loop

A process that amplifies change and destabilizes a system.

Negative feedback loop

A process that stabilizes a system by counteracting changes.

Strength of an argument

How well claims are supported with logic and evidence.

Author qualifications

Assessment of the author's expertise or credibility on the topic.

Evidentiary support

Quality and amount of evidence backing claims.

Potential bias

The presence of a slant or prejudice in information presentation.

Definition of rhetoric

The art of persuasion using effective language.

Common types of arguments

Logical arguments (logos), ethical appeals (ethos), emotional appeals (pathos).

Formal debate structure

Introduction, arguments, rebuttals, and conclusion, following structured rules.

Misinformation

False information shared without intent to deceive.

Disinformation

False information deliberately shared to mislead.

AI and misinformation

Artificial intelligence tools that can generate and spread false content.

Toolkit for debunking conspiracy theories

Fact-checking, source validation, logical analysis.

Definition of media framing

How media outlets shape the presentation of news to emphasize certain aspects.

Conducting a frame analysis

Identifying themes, perspectives, and emphasis patterns in media coverage.

What is science?

A systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe.

Science education in an age of misinformation

The study and practice of teaching science effectively amidst widespread confusion on the topic.

Demarcation of science

The philosophical and methodological criteria distinguishing science from non-science or pseudoscience.

Falsification

The principle that scientific theories must be testable and refutable; a theory is scientific if it can be proven false.

Peer review

The evaluation of scientific work by others who are experts in the same field to ensure validity and quality before publication.

Difference between peer-reviewed and media articles

Peer-reviewed articles are evaluated by experts and are considered credible scientific sources; media articles are not peer-reviewed and may lack scientific rigor.

Fallacious reasoning

Flawed logical arguments that undermine the validity of reasoning, often leading to incorrect conclusions.

Types of fallacious reasoning

Common logical fallacies include straw man, slippery slope, ad hominem, false dilemma, and hasty generalization.

Science as a body of knowledge

The accumulation of scientific facts, theories, and principles over time.

Science as processes

The methodologies and procedures used to conduct scientific research and experimentation.

Science as social practices

The collaborative and communicative aspects of scientific work within the scientific community and society.

How science guards against enduring error

Through mechanisms like peer review, replication of results, and ongoing scrutiny, science minimizes persistent errors.

Scientific expertise

Specialized knowledge and skills acquired through education and experience in a scientific field.

Scientific consensus

General agreement among scientists based on collective evidence and reasoning.

Competent outsider

An individual who, while not a specialist in a particular scientific field, possesses sufficient knowledge to understand and evaluate scientific information.

Insurance Non-Renewal

The decision by insurance companies not to renew existing policies, often due to heightened risks such as extreme weather.

Climate-Related Disasters

Natural events intensified by climate change, such as wildfires, hurricanes, and floods.

Insurance Market Withdrawal

The process of insurance companies exiting specific markets or regions due to high risk.

Risk Assessment (Insurance Context)

The evaluation of potential risks to determine insurance coverage and premiums, now updated for climate risks.

Insurance Affordability Crisis

A situation where insurance premiums become too expensive for many homeowners, especially in high-risk areas.

Federal and State Insurance Programs

Government-backed insurance initiatives providing coverage when private insurers withdraw (e.g., California FAIR Plan).

Climate Risk Modeling

The use of data and simulations to predict how climate change impacts regional insurance risk.

Real Estate Market Impact (from Insurance Loss)

The loss of property value and reduced market activity caused by insurance availability problems.

Regulatory Responses to Insurance Crisis

Actions by government bodies to stabilize insurance markets and protect homeowners in climate-affected areas.

Climate Adaptation Strategies

Measures homeowners and communities take to reduce vulnerability to climate-related risks and maintain insurability.

What type of feedback loop exists between "Insurance Non-Renewals" and "Economic Uncertainty"?

Positive feedback loop.

If Greenhouse Gas emissions decreased, what would happen to Risk Assessments?

Risk Assessments would likely decrease.

Which link represents a negative correlation?

"More Insurance Non-Renewals → Decreased Home Values."

What happens to climate change if public polices increase?

It goes up

How would an increase in demand for biotechnology regulation affect future cultured meat production?

It could slow down production due to stricter rules.

What is the chain of indirect relationships from Cultured Meat Production to Extinction Rates?

Cultured Meat → Less Grazing Land → More Biodiversity → Fewer Extinctions.

Which link shows a positive social impact?

Decreased Land Use → Increased Biodiversity Preservation.

How does public risk perception change compared to radiation level over time?

Declines slower

What shape best describes the curve for radiation level decrease?

Exponential decay

What is the gap between production volume increase and public acceptance increase called?

Lag

Which claim is an example of pseudoscience?

Cold fusion without experimental replication

Which of the following best illustrates the WYSIATI heuristic?

Basing climate opinions only on today's weather

Source amnesia is best demonstrated by:

Forgetting whether a story was from a credible origin

What is the main difference between observational and inferred data?

Observational data comes from direct measurement; inferred data is based on reasoning

Which of the following is an example of a framing effect in data visualization?

Showing a rising trend by changing the y-axis scale

Why must scientific findings always be considered tentative?

Future evidence could modify current conclusions

Nuclear fission

Splits atoms to release energy

Radioactive decay

Spontaneous emission of particles or energy.

Disinformation

False information shared with intent to deceive

Stories over Statistics

Relying on anecdotes instead of data

WYSIATI

What You See Is All There Is

Nuclear colonialism

Powerful countries exploit the resources and land of less powerful nations for nuclear development and testing

Light Water Reactors

Use low-enriched uranium

Advanced Reactors

HALEU (5–20% U-235), more efficient, smaller size

“Global Warming” alternatives

Climate crisis, climate disruption, global heating

Framing Techniques

Word choice, metaphors, analogies

Climate Crisis

A term emphasizing the urgent, severe impacts of human-driven climate change

Greenhouse Effect

Trapping of the sun’s heat by greenhouse gases in the atmosphere

Half-life

Time required for half of a radioactive substance to decay

Most dangerous radiation

Gamma radiation

What is the half-life of Uranium-238?

4.5 billion years