Some people think climate science is made up.  This annoys other people.  But calling each other dullards is unhelpful, and it misses the deeper questions. What determines who and what we trust, including science?  And what can be done to make people and politics - particularly, Lord help us all, American politics - a bit less squabbly about it all?

Joining Dave this episode is Laur Hesse Fisher, programme director for MIT's Environmental Solutions Initiative. Laur's an expert in climate science communications that bridge political divides, which sounds like a very useful person to be.   She's also the host of TILClimate.  Listen. It's good.

Owl noises:
-- 15:22: Elke U Weber's 2006 paper on psychological distancing is here.
-- 16:25: Far be it from me to blow my own trumpet, but I once interviewed that Katharine Hayhoe on Sustainababble...
-- 32:38: Find out more about Americans being alarmed about climate change, via Yale.
-- 34:37: Your political identity is a form of group attachment, it says here.
-- 38:16: ... Toot toot! And here's my Sustainababble interview with the fabulous Naomi Oreskes.
-- 43:47: important, un-great news: the Gen Z gender / ideological gap.

Your Brain on Climate is a podcast about human psychology vs the climate crisis: what we think, why we think it, and how it all adds up to a planet-sized emergency.  Contact the show:  @brainclimate on Twitter, or [email protected].

Support the show on Patreon: www.patreon.com/yourbrainonclimate.

The show is hosted and produced by me, Dave Powell, who you can find @powellds on Twitter.  Original music by me too.

Show logo by Arthur Stovell at www.designbymondial.com.