Stephen Hawking Says Trump Will Push Earth ‘Over Brink’; Scientists Give Him a BRUTAL Wakeup Call

by Cassy Fiano | July 5, 2017 9:40 am

Stephen Hawking is known as one of the most brilliant scientists of our time. But even brilliant scientists can occasionally get it wrong. Hawking recently took it upon himself to criticize Donald Trump[1] and what he said had other scientists immediately firing back.

[2]

Hawking was interviewed by BBC News on Sunday, where he spoke about Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement. While Trump’s withdrawal was widely criticized by the scientific community, many of whom argue in favor of man-made climate change, Hawking’s statements were swiftly condemned as over-the-top.

“We are close to the tipping point where global warming becomes irreversible. Trump’s action could push the Earth over the brink, to become like Venus, with a temperature of two hundred and fifty degrees, and raining sulphuric acid,” Hawking said. “Climate change is one of the great dangers we face, and it’s one we can prevent if we act now. By denying the evidence for climate change, and pulling out of the Paris Climate Agreement, Donald Trump will cause avoidable environmental damage to our beautiful planet, endangering the natural world, for us and our children.”

Even pro-climate change scientists were shocked at what Hawking said. Zeke Hausfather, for example, is an energy systems analyst and environmental economist.

A good example that even brilliant scientists sometimes say silly things when it's outside their field of expertise (see Nobel disease) https://t.co/QPsmB1bsv0[3]

— Zeke Hausfather (@hausfath) July 2, 2017[4]

Ryan Maue is a meteorologist:

Stephen Hawking's wacky & bizarre opinions on climate change (e.g. Earth becoming Venus) pollute policy debate. https://t.co/kK5eCZmPZo[5]

— Ryan Maue (@RyanMaue) July 3, 2017[6]

Bjorn Lomborg is a professor and an environmental activist:

Stephen Hawking being silly:
No risk of climate runaway to Venus
US Paris cuts were just 0.2% of needed to 2°Chttps://t.co/fnbbCkQihg[7] pic.twitter.com/FaDZFY4K8c[8]

— Bjorn Lomborg (@BjornLomborg) July 3, 2017[9]

The differences between Venus and Earth are, needless to say, drastic. Venus has an atmosphere that is 96.5% carbon dioxide and an average surface temperature of 864 degrees Fahrenheit. Earth, meanwhile, has an average surface temperature of 57.2 degrees Fahrenheit. The percentage of carbon dioxide in Earth’s atmosphere is less than 0.1%.

Stephen Hawking truly is a brilliant physicist; there’s no denying that. But when it comes to climate change, he may want to keep quiet.