Online fraudsters targeting climate scientists

(real scientists - not fraudsters)

The BBC reported in January how fraudsters are targeting climate scientists with details of fake conferences.

Their aim is to obtain money for up-front booking costs or harvesting their email details.

They're very convincing too, quoting 'known' hotel names and locations. The emails and websites themselves use 'the correct language' which is very often copied directly from legitimate reports and websites.

The BBC report lists several identified scams - including the titles / names of the so called 'groups' you could receive an invitation from.

In the cases where the fraudsters have asked for payment for booking costs up front, usually with a promise of them being refunded later, the amounts have been several hundred euros.

Click here to read the full article on the BBC website - if you're part of the scientific community, you may want to warn your colleagues too.

photo credit: LAC/BAC

Green Scientists under attack and they're not taking it anymore

Courtesy of link I picked up on that led to Science Blogs, comes this story of Climatologists 'mad as hell' and about to start standing up for themselves in the wake of Climategate and other recent climate sceptic activity.

With the 'release' of more private emails, the scientific community has decided that "there comes a point when the public DOES want to see the science community stand up for themselves".

Strong words indeed - and with one speaker pondering that open-minded people are no doubt wondering why there's been no coordinated public reply to the sceptics, it does make you wonder that there hasn't been a bigger shift to the sceptics side.

This is obviously one argument that's going to rumble on, both publicly and privately. Read the full article here.

It might not replace the bar room banter on The Coles breakup or the latest Jordan and Peter Andre 'exclusive' but people are starting to discuss green issues more openly.

Let the debate begin - only lets keep it civilised.

photo credit: anyjazz
Note: The illustration photo has an interesting history all its own - read more by clicking the photo credit link.