In order for a scientific controversy to be resolved, which of the following is most likely to occur?
Scientists contribute to scientific controversies primarily by
Why did the World Meteorological Organization appoint an expert panel to write a paper about tropical cyclones?
A valid argument in a scientific controversy must be based on
Controversies are rare in science.
The Delta smelt is a minnow (a type of fish) that lives only in the estuary of the Sacramento River delta in California. The delta is also a source of drinking and agricultural water for California residents, and intake valves for pipelines are located near the breeding waters of the smelt. Scientists have determined that the smelt populations are in rapid decline and that they need more freshwater than is currently available to them after drinking water is pumped out. Nearby farmers argue that they need more freshwater to grow their crops, and regulatory agencies have faced criticisms from all sides on their management of the water resources. This a scientific controversy.
Many large mammals went extinct in North America around 11,000 years ago, including the woolly mammoth and the mastodon. Based on archaeological evidence, some scientists have argued that hunting by humans, who were relatively new to the continent, caused the extinctions. Based on climate data, other scientists have argued that sudden warming that led to the melting of the ice sheets was the primary cause of the extinctions. In a number of recent studies, scientists have reported sequencing the woolly mammoth genome and running detailed climate models for the time period around the extinction, and new evidence is being discovered. This is a scientific controversy.
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