John Cook
@johnfocook.bsky.social
Researches climate & vaccine misinformation at the University of Melbourne. Founded SkepticalScience.com. Published Cranky Uncle vs. Climate Change. Developed the games Cranky Uncle (crankyuncle.com) and Cranky Uncle Vaccine (crankyunclevaccine.org)
Reposted by John Cook
I talked to @johnfocook.bsky.social about dealing with climate misinformation, and he recommended learning about the common techniques that bad actors use to distort facts:
Fake experts
Logical fallacies
Impossible expectations
Cherry-picking
Conspiracy theories
or FLICC, for short (4/11)
Fake experts
Logical fallacies
Impossible expectations
Cherry-picking
Conspiracy theories
or FLICC, for short (4/11)
A history of FLICC: the 5 techniques of science denial
In 2007, Mark Hoofnagle suggested on his Science Blog Denialism that denialists across a range of topics such as climate change, evolution, & HIV/AIDS all employed the same rhetorical tactics to sow c...
skepticalscience.com
November 7, 2025 at 5:26 PM
I talked to @johnfocook.bsky.social about dealing with climate misinformation, and he recommended learning about the common techniques that bad actors use to distort facts:
Fake experts
Logical fallacies
Impossible expectations
Cherry-picking
Conspiracy theories
or FLICC, for short (4/11)
Fake experts
Logical fallacies
Impossible expectations
Cherry-picking
Conspiracy theories
or FLICC, for short (4/11)
Reposted by John Cook
Joe Rogan has one of the world's most popular podcasts. Unfortunately, like nearly all of the most popular online shows, his tends to spread climate misinformation. For @climateconnections.bsky.social I scrutinize his recent episode with octogenarian climate contrarians Lindzen & Happer 🧵 (1/11)
Five ways Joe Rogan misleads listeners about climate change » Yale Climate Connections
Rogan exposes millions to climate denial. Let’s break down his tactics.
yaleclimateconnections.org
November 7, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Joe Rogan has one of the world's most popular podcasts. Unfortunately, like nearly all of the most popular online shows, his tends to spread climate misinformation. For @climateconnections.bsky.social I scrutinize his recent episode with octogenarian climate contrarians Lindzen & Happer 🧵 (1/11)
Reposted by John Cook
Happy to share a new paper (accepted at J Environ Psych), led by the amazing @emilyspearing.bsky.social
Black Summer Arson: Examining the Impact of Climate Misinformation and Corrections on Reasoning
osf.io/preprints/ps...
@johnfocook.bsky.social @lewan.bsky.social @profsanderlinden.bsky.social
Black Summer Arson: Examining the Impact of Climate Misinformation and Corrections on Reasoning
osf.io/preprints/ps...
@johnfocook.bsky.social @lewan.bsky.social @profsanderlinden.bsky.social
OSF
osf.io
October 31, 2025 at 5:32 AM
Happy to share a new paper (accepted at J Environ Psych), led by the amazing @emilyspearing.bsky.social
Black Summer Arson: Examining the Impact of Climate Misinformation and Corrections on Reasoning
osf.io/preprints/ps...
@johnfocook.bsky.social @lewan.bsky.social @profsanderlinden.bsky.social
Black Summer Arson: Examining the Impact of Climate Misinformation and Corrections on Reasoning
osf.io/preprints/ps...
@johnfocook.bsky.social @lewan.bsky.social @profsanderlinden.bsky.social
Proud to have contributed to the blockbuster new volume Climate Obstruction: A Global Assessment, documenting the many, many ways that corporations & orgs try to block climate action. Comprehensive, global in scope, authors from all over the world & the ebook version is FREE cssn.org/news-researc...
Global Assessment - Brown Climate Social Science Network
Climate advocacy has not failed, climate policy has been sabotaged, explains a new open access book, Climate Obstruction: A Global Assessment.
cssn.org
October 14, 2025 at 10:42 PM
Proud to have contributed to the blockbuster new volume Climate Obstruction: A Global Assessment, documenting the many, many ways that corporations & orgs try to block climate action. Comprehensive, global in scope, authors from all over the world & the ebook version is FREE cssn.org/news-researc...
Fun random statistic - our 2013 paper finding 97% scientific consensus on human-caused global warming just went past 1.5 million downloads (which is not a bad number for an academic paper) iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1...
October 14, 2025 at 5:24 AM
Fun random statistic - our 2013 paper finding 97% scientific consensus on human-caused global warming just went past 1.5 million downloads (which is not a bad number for an academic paper) iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1...
Excited to lead a University of Melbourne submission to the Senate inquiry on climate misinformation and also speak to @readfearn.bsky.social at @australia.theguardian.com about the trends in climate misinformation & how to counter it www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
Media and political attacks on Australia’s emissions targets ‘straight out of the climate obstruction playbook’, expert says
Prof Christian Downie points to the Business Council of Australia and News Corp newspapers as examples of deliberate obstruction
www.theguardian.com
October 8, 2025 at 1:54 AM
Excited to lead a University of Melbourne submission to the Senate inquiry on climate misinformation and also speak to @readfearn.bsky.social at @australia.theguardian.com about the trends in climate misinformation & how to counter it www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
Reposted by John Cook
Experts @timmonsroberts.bsky.social @aronczyk.bsky.social and @johnfocook.bsky.social speak with @trackchangesmedia.bsky.social on the rising threat of climate disinformation in the media, solutions misinformation, and the attack on climate science and scientists themselves.
September 22, 2025 at 1:35 PM
Experts @timmonsroberts.bsky.social @aronczyk.bsky.social and @johnfocook.bsky.social speak with @trackchangesmedia.bsky.social on the rising threat of climate disinformation in the media, solutions misinformation, and the attack on climate science and scientists themselves.
The Debunking Handbook 2020 has now been translated into Basque, making it the 21st translation of this influential guide to the psychological research into debunking misinformation. Many thanks to translator Laida Arbizu Aguirre and Wendy Cook for typesetting sks.to/db2020
September 17, 2025 at 12:02 AM
The Debunking Handbook 2020 has now been translated into Basque, making it the 21st translation of this influential guide to the psychological research into debunking misinformation. Many thanks to translator Laida Arbizu Aguirre and Wendy Cook for typesetting sks.to/db2020
Reposted by John Cook
If you're a @drilledmedia.bsky.social listener you know I think social scientists are key sources if we want to understand why governments haven't acted on climate. So imagine my nerd delight to get my hands on an incredible new batch of research on climate obstruction. drilled.media/podcasts/dri...
Welcome to the World of Obstruction
Investigating the obstacles to action on climate change.
drilled.media
September 16, 2025 at 6:49 PM
If you're a @drilledmedia.bsky.social listener you know I think social scientists are key sources if we want to understand why governments haven't acted on climate. So imagine my nerd delight to get my hands on an incredible new batch of research on climate obstruction. drilled.media/podcasts/dri...
Reposted by John Cook
Our 400+ page comment on the DOE climate working group report is now out.
Our conclusion: The merchants of doubt are back, and they're coming for climate science.
Our conclusion: The merchants of doubt are back, and they're coming for climate science.
DOEresponseSite
On July 29, 2025, the Department of Energy (DOE) published a report from its Climate Working Group (CWG). This report features prominently in the EPA's reconsideration of its 2009 Endangerment Finding. In response, over 85 scientists have come together to write a comprehensive review, which is
sites.google.com
September 2, 2025 at 1:24 PM
Our 400+ page comment on the DOE climate working group report is now out.
Our conclusion: The merchants of doubt are back, and they're coming for climate science.
Our conclusion: The merchants of doubt are back, and they're coming for climate science.
Spoke to @katieyoder.bsky.social about the very disturbing development of the Trump administration disappearing climate reports and data, taking climate denial to an unseen level grist.org/language/tru...
Why the federal government is making climate data disappear
Under Trump, climate denial has given way to something even more dangerous: climate erasure.
grist.org
July 16, 2025 at 7:01 AM
Spoke to @katieyoder.bsky.social about the very disturbing development of the Trump administration disappearing climate reports and data, taking climate denial to an unseen level grist.org/language/tru...
Reposted by John Cook
"you need to make it cheap and easy for people to make the switch. If it’s expensive, most people won’t do it. If it’s difficult or inconvenient, then forget it."
www.sustainabilitybynumbers.com/p/the-false-...
www.sustainabilitybynumbers.com/p/the-false-...
The false dichotomy of systemic and individual behaviour change
Individuals aren't going to solve climate change, but they are an important part of the system that will get us there.
www.sustainabilitybynumbers.com
July 15, 2025 at 10:40 AM
"you need to make it cheap and easy for people to make the switch. If it’s expensive, most people won’t do it. If it’s difficult or inconvenient, then forget it."
www.sustainabilitybynumbers.com/p/the-false-...
www.sustainabilitybynumbers.com/p/the-false-...
Reposted by John Cook
Great coverage of our Anti-Autocracy Handbook by Bob Berwyn: insideclimatenews.org/news/0407202... . It's difficult to make autocracy seem funny but the White House managed to produce a hilarious comment @ninajankowicz.com @noupside.bsky.social @chrischirp.bsky.social @philippmarkolin.bsky.social
New Handbook Aims to Protect Scientists From Autocratic Threats - Inside Climate News
Scientists, experts say, need to help protect democracy, “the system of government in which science, health and humanity are most likely to thrive.”
insideclimatenews.org
July 4, 2025 at 12:49 PM
Great coverage of our Anti-Autocracy Handbook by Bob Berwyn: insideclimatenews.org/news/0407202... . It's difficult to make autocracy seem funny but the White House managed to produce a hilarious comment @ninajankowicz.com @noupside.bsky.social @chrischirp.bsky.social @philippmarkolin.bsky.social
Reposted by John Cook
We had a great first training module on climate disinformation !
Today we looked at the phenomenon
Thursday next week (10 July) we will focus on solutions
with @johnfocook.bsky.social , @lewan.bsky.social and @simofons.bsky.social
#disinformation
#climateaction
#climatechange
#edmoEU
Today we looked at the phenomenon
Thursday next week (10 July) we will focus on solutions
with @johnfocook.bsky.social , @lewan.bsky.social and @simofons.bsky.social
#disinformation
#climateaction
#climatechange
#edmoEU
🌡️ While Europe's #heatwave pushes temperatures above 40°C, today's first session of our training series underlined: #climate #disinformation doesn't just happen, it's a tool used by powerful actors to sabotage #climateaction – and it must be better understood + countered. 1/2
July 2, 2025 at 3:50 PM
We had a great first training module on climate disinformation !
Today we looked at the phenomenon
Thursday next week (10 July) we will focus on solutions
with @johnfocook.bsky.social , @lewan.bsky.social and @simofons.bsky.social
#disinformation
#climateaction
#climatechange
#edmoEU
Today we looked at the phenomenon
Thursday next week (10 July) we will focus on solutions
with @johnfocook.bsky.social , @lewan.bsky.social and @simofons.bsky.social
#disinformation
#climateaction
#climatechange
#edmoEU
Reposted by John Cook
Reminder: register by 3 July, 17:00 CEST, and join us as we zoom in on effective responses to #climate #disinformation with:
🔸 @lewan.bsky.social @bristoluni.bsky.social
🔸 @johnfocook.bsky.social @mcbc-unimelb.bsky.social
🔸 @simofons.bsky.social @facta.news
🗓️ 10 July, 10:00-11:30
🔗 loom.ly/G3FV_VQ
🔸 @lewan.bsky.social @bristoluni.bsky.social
🔸 @johnfocook.bsky.social @mcbc-unimelb.bsky.social
🔸 @simofons.bsky.social @facta.news
🗓️ 10 July, 10:00-11:30
🔗 loom.ly/G3FV_VQ
July 1, 2025 at 3:05 PM
Reminder: register by 3 July, 17:00 CEST, and join us as we zoom in on effective responses to #climate #disinformation with:
🔸 @lewan.bsky.social @bristoluni.bsky.social
🔸 @johnfocook.bsky.social @mcbc-unimelb.bsky.social
🔸 @simofons.bsky.social @facta.news
🗓️ 10 July, 10:00-11:30
🔗 loom.ly/G3FV_VQ
🔸 @lewan.bsky.social @bristoluni.bsky.social
🔸 @johnfocook.bsky.social @mcbc-unimelb.bsky.social
🔸 @simofons.bsky.social @facta.news
🗓️ 10 July, 10:00-11:30
🔗 loom.ly/G3FV_VQ
Reposted by John Cook
Autocracies often follow a common playbook, built around the “3 Ps”: populism, polarization, and post-truth
This handbook highlights both historic and contemporary measures aimed at attacking scholars, their institutional environments, and their scholarship
zenodo.org/records/1569...
This handbook highlights both historic and contemporary measures aimed at attacking scholars, their institutional environments, and their scholarship
zenodo.org/records/1569...
June 19, 2025 at 10:47 AM
Autocracies often follow a common playbook, built around the “3 Ps”: populism, polarization, and post-truth
This handbook highlights both historic and contemporary measures aimed at attacking scholars, their institutional environments, and their scholarship
zenodo.org/records/1569...
This handbook highlights both historic and contemporary measures aimed at attacking scholars, their institutional environments, and their scholarship
zenodo.org/records/1569...
Reposted by John Cook
I am privileged to announce the publication of the Anti-Autocracy Handbook: sks.to/autocracy 1/12
The Anti-Autocracy Handbook: A Scholars' Guide to Navigating Democratic Backsliding
The Anti-Autocracy Handbook is a call to action, resilience, and collective defence of democracy, truth, and academic freedom in the face of mounting authoritarianism. It tries to provide guidance to ...
sks.to
June 19, 2025 at 9:44 AM
I am privileged to announce the publication of the Anti-Autocracy Handbook: sks.to/autocracy 1/12
Reposted by John Cook
Fantastic team of authors comprising relevant experts and several scholars who have lived under autocracy, including: @karmaos.bsky.social @profsunitasah.bsky.social @chrischirp.bsky.social @ninajankowicz.com @noupside.bsky.social @philippmarkolin.bsky.social @johnfocook.bsky.social 3/12
June 19, 2025 at 9:44 AM
Fantastic team of authors comprising relevant experts and several scholars who have lived under autocracy, including: @karmaos.bsky.social @profsunitasah.bsky.social @chrischirp.bsky.social @ninajankowicz.com @noupside.bsky.social @philippmarkolin.bsky.social @johnfocook.bsky.social 3/12
Reposted by John Cook
📣 Join our Training Series on #Climate #Disinformation!
7️⃣ expert trainers
2️⃣ online sessions
1️⃣ pressing challenge
This series is open to all stakeholders working to tackle disinformation & #climatepolicy experts interested in questions on climate disinformation.
👉 Learn more at loom.ly/aNrZHiM.
7️⃣ expert trainers
2️⃣ online sessions
1️⃣ pressing challenge
This series is open to all stakeholders working to tackle disinformation & #climatepolicy experts interested in questions on climate disinformation.
👉 Learn more at loom.ly/aNrZHiM.
June 11, 2025 at 10:39 AM
📣 Join our Training Series on #Climate #Disinformation!
7️⃣ expert trainers
2️⃣ online sessions
1️⃣ pressing challenge
This series is open to all stakeholders working to tackle disinformation & #climatepolicy experts interested in questions on climate disinformation.
👉 Learn more at loom.ly/aNrZHiM.
7️⃣ expert trainers
2️⃣ online sessions
1️⃣ pressing challenge
This series is open to all stakeholders working to tackle disinformation & #climatepolicy experts interested in questions on climate disinformation.
👉 Learn more at loom.ly/aNrZHiM.
Reposted by John Cook
To conclude Reconciliation Week, Ngarrngga hosted a Debunking Myths seminar with Dr @johnfocook.bsky.social with Faculty of Education staff members. We learnt to apply research and specific methodologies to misinformation about Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander peoples. #NRW2025
June 3, 2025 at 10:58 PM
To conclude Reconciliation Week, Ngarrngga hosted a Debunking Myths seminar with Dr @johnfocook.bsky.social with Faculty of Education staff members. We learnt to apply research and specific methodologies to misinformation about Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander peoples. #NRW2025
Reposted by John Cook
With the rampant spread of mis- and disinformation, how can health professionals fight back with the truth? @johnfocook.bsky.social joined @lisapatel.bsky.social for a new episode of Healthy Climate America to explore this question and more.
Listen here: bit.ly/HealthyClimateAmerca
Listen here: bit.ly/HealthyClimateAmerca
May 15, 2025 at 4:01 PM
With the rampant spread of mis- and disinformation, how can health professionals fight back with the truth? @johnfocook.bsky.social joined @lisapatel.bsky.social for a new episode of Healthy Climate America to explore this question and more.
Listen here: bit.ly/HealthyClimateAmerca
Listen here: bit.ly/HealthyClimateAmerca
Excited to present a workshop on misinfo at the “Listen, Engage, Connect: Explore the Science Communication Arena” Summer School at the University of Geneva. Runs from June 23-27. Ideal for students, early-career researchers, science communicators. Register before 31 May at bit.ly/scicomm25
Geneva Summer Schools • Listen, Engage, Connect: Explore The Science Communication Arena
bit.ly
May 1, 2025 at 7:59 AM
Excited to present a workshop on misinfo at the “Listen, Engage, Connect: Explore the Science Communication Arena” Summer School at the University of Geneva. Runs from June 23-27. Ideal for students, early-career researchers, science communicators. Register before 31 May at bit.ly/scicomm25
I was recently invited to participate in an expert meeting on climate misinformation in the U.S. After much thought and talking to colleagues, I regretfully declined. Like many academics, I consider the U.S. not a safe country to visit atm. Sadly the meeting is in-person, no virtual option :-(
April 14, 2025 at 1:12 AM
I was recently invited to participate in an expert meeting on climate misinformation in the U.S. After much thought and talking to colleagues, I regretfully declined. Like many academics, I consider the U.S. not a safe country to visit atm. Sadly the meeting is in-person, no virtual option :-(
Reposted by John Cook
In February 2025, @johnfocook.bsky.social gave two webinars for republicEN explaining the scientific consensus on human-caused climate change. The 1st webinar focused on the history of this scientific consensus, the 2nd on the misinformation spread about it.
skepticalscience.com/webinars-con...
skepticalscience.com/webinars-con...
April 3, 2025 at 8:09 PM
In February 2025, @johnfocook.bsky.social gave two webinars for republicEN explaining the scientific consensus on human-caused climate change. The 1st webinar focused on the history of this scientific consensus, the 2nd on the misinformation spread about it.
skepticalscience.com/webinars-con...
skepticalscience.com/webinars-con...
Reposted by John Cook
Fact brief #29:
Q: "Is waste heat from industrial activity the reason the planet is warming?"
A: "No - Waste heat’s contribution to global warming is a small fraction of that brought about by carbon dioxide. [...]"
sks.to/gfb-waste?ut...
All fact briefs: sks.to/gfb?utm-sour...
Q: "Is waste heat from industrial activity the reason the planet is warming?"
A: "No - Waste heat’s contribution to global warming is a small fraction of that brought about by carbon dioxide. [...]"
sks.to/gfb-waste?ut...
All fact briefs: sks.to/gfb?utm-sour...
![Screenshot of Fact brief #29:
Q: "Is waste heat from industrial activity the reason the planet is warming?"
A: "No - Waste heat’s contribution to global warming is a small fraction of that brought about by carbon dioxide. [...]"
https://sks.to/gfb-waste](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:o3l3q42chbeego5si57rubpr/bafkreig3wu3fhreqwy2l6k6lmn5ozeq2gvo5ixdk2fgbc6zd7s7sfe7hga@jpeg)
March 19, 2025 at 8:50 PM
Fact brief #29:
Q: "Is waste heat from industrial activity the reason the planet is warming?"
A: "No - Waste heat’s contribution to global warming is a small fraction of that brought about by carbon dioxide. [...]"
sks.to/gfb-waste?ut...
All fact briefs: sks.to/gfb?utm-sour...
Q: "Is waste heat from industrial activity the reason the planet is warming?"
A: "No - Waste heat’s contribution to global warming is a small fraction of that brought about by carbon dioxide. [...]"
sks.to/gfb-waste?ut...
All fact briefs: sks.to/gfb?utm-sour...