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A28 SCIENCE
Friday 6 September 2019
AP-NORC Poll: Most Americans see weather disasters worsening

BY SETH BORENSTEIN and forum on climate change
HANNAH FINGERHUT for Democratic presiden-
Associated Press tial candidates. He said he
WASHINGTON (AP) — Near- kept noticing the damning
ly three-quarters of Ameri- statistics on carbon dioxide
cans see weather disasters, put in the air, saying the
like Hurricane Dorian, wors- "numbers are cranking up
ening and most of them like the national debt clock
blame global warming to ... that's pretty significant
some extent, a new poll what we're doing to our
finds. environment."
And scientists say they're Scientific studies indicate a
right. warming world has slightly
The Associated Press-NORC stronger hurricanes, but
Center for Public Affairs Re- they don't show an increase
search survey shows 72% in the number storms hitting
of Americans think cata- land, Colorado State Uni-
strophic weather is more versity hurricane researcher
severe, while 4% see it as Phil Klotzbach said. He said
less nasty. About one-quar- the real climate change
ter say those disasters are effect causing more dam-
about as extreme as they age is storm surge from
always were. Tony Pagan, left, helps a friend set sandbags in place over a plastic tarp on the back door as they rising seas, wetter storms
Half of those who think prepare to evacuate before Hurricane Dorian arrives with its storm surge and tropical storm winds, dumping more rain and
weather disasters are Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2019, in Tybee Island, Ga. more people living in vul-
worsening say it's mainly Associated Press nerable areas.
because of man-made pushed several inches of say disasters are more se- happening more often, Not everyone sees climate
climate change, with an- floodwater into the Pa- vere when compared with are nastier and last longer, change making weather
other 37% who think natu- gans' low-lying house. Hur- a similarly worded question while heavy downpours worse.
ral randomness and global ricane Irma the following asked after hurricanes in are increasing globally, Though she's weary of
warming are equally to year sent 2 feet of water 2013 and 2017. said NASA and Columbia dealing with storms three of
blame. surging into the home. And "People are catching up University climate scientist the past four years, Sandy
The poll was conducted in this year Hurricane Dorian with the science! Extreme Cynthia Rosenzweig. Cason of Tybee Island said
mid-August before Dorian threatened, but didn't hit. events are always partly Chris Dennis, a 50-year-old she's not ready to blame
formed, pummeled the "This is climate change, due to natural variability, registered nurse and self- climate change. She noted
Bahamas and put much though President Trump but we do think many are described liberal Demo- Georgia got hit by several
of the U.S. East Coast on denies that it is," Tony Pa- increasing in frequency be- crat in Greenville, South powerful hurricanes in the
edge. gan, a 69-year-old retired cause of climate change," Carolina, said he is seeing 1800s.
"We continue to loot our electrician said as he and Cornell University climate more intense and more "If you go back and read,
environment and it causes his wife finished packing scientist Natalie Mahowald frequent weather disasters it's a cyclical thing. It re-
adverse weather," said to leave Wednesday. "He said in an email. than in the past. ally is," Cason said. "If you
John Mohr, a 57-year-old needs to open his eyes." It's more than hurricanes. "Years ago, we didn't hear read enough about the
self-described moderate Majorities of adults across A recent United Nations of these kinds of storms, at old storms, I don't think you
Republican in Wilmington, demographic groups think Intergovernmental Panel least that frequently," Den- can" attribute the most
North Carolina, where he weather disasters are get- on Climate Change report nis said, taking a break recent storms to climate
was bracing for Dorian's ar- ting more severe, accord- found that heat waves are from watching the CNN change.q
rival. ing to the poll. College-
On Tybee Island, Georgia, educated Americans are Rare, two-headed rattlesnake
Tony and Debbie Pagan slightly more likely than
said they rarely worried those without a degree to found in New Jersey forest
about hurricanes after buy- say so, 79% versus 69%.
ing their home nearly 50 But there are wide differ-
years ago. ences in assessments by PEMBERTON TOWNSHIP,
Hurricane David in 1979 partisanship. Nine in 10 N.J. (AP) — It looks like
and Floyd in 1999 threat- Democrats think weather something from a sci-
ened them but did little disasters are more extreme, ence fiction movie.
damage. The last four years compared with about half A newborn two-headed
haven't been so kind. of Republicans. timber rattlesnake has
Hurricane Matthew raked Americans this summer also been found in New Jer-
the island in 2016 and are slightly more likely to sey's Pine Barrens. Her-
petological Associates of
Burlington County CEO
Bob Zappalorti says the This August 2019 photo provided by Herpetological Associates,
snake has two brains and Inc. shows a newborn two-headed timber rattlesnake which
each head acts indepen- was found in New Jersey's Pine Barren.
dently of the other. Associated Press
Two employees at the month. in New Jersey. He says it
organization spotted the Zappalorti tells NJ Ad- likely wouldn't be able
reptile in a nest where vance Media it's the to survive in the wild be-
a timber rattlesnake only two-headed timber cause its heads could get
was giving birth late last rattlesnake ever found snagged on something.q