Clyde Burnett, Peak to Peak. Our parents told us that the bottom line is what we get with monthly income, household expenses, and intelligent investments.  So, let us analyze.

Our scientists spend time with computers and the universal laws of Nature and warn us to stop CO2 emissions from burning fossil fuels. Politicians and commentators imagine economic injury. But the bottom line is our planet’s vector thermal response of disease-bearing mosquitoes and a series of floods and tornadoes. Human response is FEMA and face masks. Our climate research reveals a planetary response of melting ice, rising sea levels, and hockey stick temperature rise. Human voter response has been to ignore the science, and the bottom line is worrisome elections.

Human population increase stimulates global warming and environmental pollution. Crowding enables infections like coronavirus to proliferate and cause pandemics. Human response is dependent on politics and cooperation. Empty grocery shelves and stadium seats and the lack of medical necessities may be followed by congressional stimulus to the economy. Will this allow us to survive the pandemic? The bottom line is that we are reminded of the fragility of life and human constructs and the absolute necessity of respecting the science.

Recall the Physics Nobel Prize winner Richard Feynman’s reminder that however elegant the theory, if it disagrees with careful measurements, it’s wrong. Recall also his post-Challenger TV presentation of the many years of computer work in space research with its bottom line of O-ring behavior at ice water temperature.

My 33 years of Fritz Peak atmospheric research failed to agree with major institutions’ theory and measurements. The bottom line is my careful reanalysis of the chemistry and structure of the lower stratosphere. This has been given restricted communication and can be found in the local Gilpin library.