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John Cook

@johnfocook.bsky.social

7.4K followers 860 following 87 posts

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) .. more

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Sociology 24%

Political science 24%

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John Cook @johnfocook.bsky.social · 2d

BTW, you can read the 200+ submissions (such a wealth of useful information not to mention some submissions packed with misinformation) at www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentar.... The Uni of Melb submission is #128 (to get clickbaity, you'll never guess who #125 is! ;-)

Submissions

www.aph.gov.au

John Cook @johnfocook.bsky.social · 2d

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

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Reposted by John Cook, Prakash Kashwan

Climate Social Science Network @cssn.org · 17d

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.

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John Cook @johnfocook.bsky.social · 23d

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

Cover of Basque translation of the Debunking Handbook 2020

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Reposted by John Cook, Martijn Duineveld

Amy Westervelt @amywestervelt.bsky.social · 23d

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

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Andrew Dessler @andrewdessler.com · Sep 2

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.

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

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John Cook @johnfocook.bsky.social · Jul 17

Doh thanks for letting me know :-(

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Reposted by John Cook

Ruth Mottram @ruthmottram.bsky.social · Jul 15

"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-...

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

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Reposted by Nina Jankowicz, John Cook

Stephan Lewandowsky @lewan.bsky.social · Jul 4

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

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Reposted by Stephan Lewandowsky, John Cook

European Digital Media Observatory @edmo-eu.bsky.social · Jul 2

🌡️ 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

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Reposted by Stephan Lewandowsky, John Cook

European Digital Media Observatory @edmo-eu.bsky.social · Jul 1

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

Register by 3 July to join Module 2 of the EDMO Training Series on Climate Disinformation

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Reposted by John Cook

Madhu Pai, MD, PhD @madhupai.bsky.social · Jun 19

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...

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Reposted by John Cook

Stephan Lewandowsky @lewan.bsky.social · Jun 19

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

Authors:
Stephan Lewandowsky
University of Bristol and University of Potsdam
BlueSky: @lewan.bsky.social
Vera Kempe
Abertay University, Dundee
Konstantinos Armaos
University of Bonn
Linkedin: @karmaos
BlueSky: @karmaos.bsky.social
Ulrike Hahn
Birkbeck, University of London
Christoph M. Abels
University of Potsdam
Susilo Wibisono
University of Queensland
Winnifred Louis
University of Queensland
Sunita Sah
Cornell University
LinkedIn: @drsunitasah
Instagram: @drsunitasah
Christina Pagel
University College London
BlueSky: @chrischirp.bsky.social
Substack: christinapagel.substack.com
Nina Jankowicz
American Sunlight Project
Renee DiResta
Georgetown University
BlueSky: @noupside.bsky.social
Instagram: @renee.diresta
Philipp Markolin
Reatch! Research. Think. Change., Zurich
BlueSky: @philippmarkolin.bsky.social
Henrik Schoenemann
Humboldt University of Berlin
Ralph Hertwig
Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin
Henry Crull
Louisiana State University
Barry Mauer
University of Central Florida
Dawn Holford
University of Bristol
Ezequiel Lopez-Lopez
Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin
John Cook
University of Melbourne
BlueSky: @johnfocook.bsky.social

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Stephan Lewandowsky @lewan.bsky.social · Jun 19

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

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Reposted by John Cook

European Digital Media Observatory @edmo-eu.bsky.social · Jun 11

📣 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.

EDMO Training Series on Climate Disinformation

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Reposted by John Cook

Ngarrngga @ngarrngga.bsky.social · Jun 3

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

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Reposted by John Cook

The Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health @docsforclimate.bsky.social · May 15

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

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John Cook @johnfocook.bsky.social · May 1

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

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John Cook @johnfocook.bsky.social · Apr 14

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 :-(

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Reposted by John Cook

Skeptical Science @skepticalscience.bsky.social · Apr 3

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...

Cartoon featuring a cranky uncle archetype claiming there's no scientific consensus on climate change, and when confronted with evidence to the contrary then shifting his argument to say that science isn't done by consensus.

Image showing nine pie-charts depicting nine consensus studies published between 2004 and 2021

100% - Oreskes 2004
97% - Doran 2009
97% - Anderegg 2010
97% - Cook 2013
91% - Verheggen 2014
93% - Stenhouse 2014
97% - Carlton 2015
98% - Myers 2021
99% - Lynas 2021

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John Cook @johnfocook.bsky.social · Apr 1

Your dogs think neither of you are right.

Reposted by John Cook

Skeptical Science @skepticalscience.bsky.social · Mar 19

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...

$Screenshot of Fact brief #29: Q: "Is waste heat from industrial activity the reason the planet is warming?" A: "No - Waste heat’s contribution to global warming is a small fraction of that brought about by carbon dioxide. [...]" https://sks.to/gfb-waste$

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Reposted by John Cook

Skeptical Science @skepticalscience.bsky.social · Mar 9

With the addition of Catalan, Croatian and Indonesian the Cranky Uncle game can now be played in 16 languages!

Thanks to the translator teams across the globe who make these translations possible!

@johnfocook.bsky.social @goodbeast.bsky.social

sks.to/crankyml?utm...

#activeinoculation

Cranky Uncle cartoon character standing with crossed arms in front of country flags depicting the 16 languages the Cranky Uncle game can now be played in.

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John Cook @johnfocook.bsky.social · Feb 27

Am about to give a free online talk on countering misinformation about the scientific consensus on human-caused global warming (and misinformation in general). You can register at republicen.org/consensus (this webinar will be recorded & posted on the RepublicEN Youtube channel)

republicen.org

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John Cook @johnfocook.bsky.social · Feb 20

In a few moments, I'm giving a free online talk on my and others' research into quantifying the scientific consensus on human-caused global warming. You can register at republicen.org/consensus (this webinar will be recorded & posted on the RepublicEN Youtube channel)

*Webinar* BUST or TRUST? The scientific consensus on climate change - republicEn

republicen.org

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John Cook @johnfocook.bsky.social · Feb 20

Tomorrow, I'm giving a free webinar about the scientific consensus on climate change. It's part 1 of a 2-part series (part 1 on the history of consensus, part 2 on countering misinformation about consensus). The event is organised by RepublicEN, you can register at republicen.org/consensus

*Webinar* BUST or TRUST? The scientific consensus on climate change - republicEn

republicen.org

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John Cook @johnfocook.bsky.social · Feb 13

This cartoon parodies the (false) argument that Greenland used to be green so human-caused global warming isn't real. The only relevance it has to recent news is it also involves ridiculous alternative names for Greenland (IMO Icesheetia or Spectaculonia are still better than Red, White & Blueland)

Cartoon of Erik the Red discovering Greenland and trying to persuade his fellow vikings to settle there.

Cartoon of Erik the Red trying to come up with an enticing name for the icesheet-ridden landmass so people were more likely to move there.

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John Cook @johnfocook.bsky.social · Feb 12

No, this comes from the Cranky Uncle vs. Climate Change book www.amazon.com.au/Cranky-Uncle...

www.amazon.com.au

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John Cook @johnfocook.bsky.social · Feb 12

What fossil fuel knew vs. what fossil fuel did @geoffreysupran.bsky.social @naomioreskes.bsky.social

Cartoon: What fossil fuel knew vs. what fossil fuel did

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John Cook @johnfocook.bsky.social · Feb 2

My cartoon on the questionable practise of trusting winter predictions to a groundhog when scientists’ climate predictions are called into question. Almost as questionable as my drawing of a groundhog!

Cartoon of Cranky Uncle holding a groundhog saying “This ground predicts a long winter.” Man says “Scientists say winters are getting warmer.” Cranky Uncle responds “You can’t trust what scientists say.”

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