Title: “How Dangerous are Microwaves? The physics behind non-ionizing radiation and a tale of two books titled Zapped” with Warren Wiscombe Ph.D. of NASA Goddard
Date: Wed. October 16th, 2019; 7:30 – 8:30 pm at Terra Linda HS in San Rafael, Room 207
Two books titled “Zapped” tell remarkably different stories, although both are about electromagnetic (em) radiation. One book, by a science journalist, tells a story based on 160 years of physics research on em radiation beginning with Faraday and Maxwell. The other cheerily recommends fear and loathing of em radiation based on cherrypicked factoids. In this talk, I wish to present the most basic facts in em radiation: what it is, how the energy of em radiation varies with wavelength, how em radiation interacts with matter, and the one over r-squared law. I also wish to discuss the real nature of science and how the same tactics that have been used to attack global warming science are used to attack a range of topics including nuclear power and em radiation. I will offer facts not fear, and will recommend, as the Greeks did, moderation in all things.
Bio: Warren Wiscombe got a BS in Physics from MIT and a PhD in Applied Math from Caltech. Starting in 1971, he spent his career working on radiative transfer aspects of climate, notably the interaction of sunlight with clouds and aerosols. From 1983 till retiring in 2013, he worked at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. His core background is in e.m. radiation spanning wavelengths from UV to radio.
Links:
- Previous MSS talk 2/13/19 – Merchants of Doubt: The Deeper Roots of Climate Skepticism
- Previous MSS talk – 1/4/18 – Exoplanets
- NASA Cubesat Satellite
- NASA Airborn Science Program
Facebook event: RSVP here