A physicist has put forward a challenge to those who deny the existence of man-made global warming, saying he'll give $10,000 to anyone who can disprove such warming is causing climate change.
Christopher Keating, a former professor at the U.S. Naval Academy and the University of South Dakota, has written a book and maintains a blog where he's happy to debate with anyone who claims man-made global warming doesn't exist.
He's so sure of man-made warming he says he's putting up money from his own pocket for anyone who thinks they can disprove it.
"I have heard global warming skeptics make all sorts of statements about how the science doesn't support claims of man-made climate change," Keating says in post on his blog, Dialogues On Global Warming. "I have found all of those statements to be empty and without any kind of supporting evidence. I have, in turn, stated that it is not possible for the skeptics to prove their claims. And, I'm willing to put my money where my mouth is."
Climate change deniers include a number of U.S. politicians, some of whom have received campaign contributions from the coal and oil industries.
Congressman Lamar Smith, R-Texas, chairman of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, has said he believes that climate change is a scientific hoax.
"We now know that prominent scientists were so determined to advance the idea of human-made global warming that they worked together to hide contradictory temperature data," Smith has said.
Keating says anyone can submit their claimed proof disproving climate change on his blog where he will critique the submission.
He says he will provide an explanation of why he believes any entry in his contest has failed to prove its point.
"After all, the skeptics all claim it is a simple matter, and it doesn't even have to be original," he says. "If it is so easy, just cut and paste the proof from somewhere. Provide the scientific evidence and prove your point and the $10,000 is yours!"
Keating says he has received more than 250 submission to his contest already -- none of which have succeeded.
He is adamant that his competition is not meant as a joke or a stunt; legitimately prove human-caused global warming doesn't exist, backing that up with scientific evidence, and he'll cut you a check, he said.
Some climate deniers have charged that Keating could not remain objective in judging their claims, something he denies.
"Deniers are the ones that made the claim; why is it unfair to make them stand by their own words?" he says. "If they think it is unfair to hold them to their own claims, then stop making the claims."
