0/5

Catalyst: Nov 15

This final episode for 2012 investigates what has happened to our weather over the past 100 years.

In this final episode for 2012 Catalyst‘s Dr Jonica Newby investigates what has happened to our weather over the past 100 years, sorting fact from conjecture.

Have you noticed any weird weather round your place lately? And do you ever wonder if it’s normal… or not? Earlier this year, as Catalyst reporter Dr Jonica Newby’s home flooded for the tenth time in two years, she found herself wondering exactly that – and figured if a science reporter has trouble sorting fact from conjecture, then others may too. This was the starting point for what’s become a landmark, nationwide investigation into Australia’s weather – has it really changed in the last 100 years?

Made with the close cooperation of the Bureau of Meteorology, this not-to-be-missed special concentrates on the simple facts – actual tidal gauges, real temperature records – going around Australia to look at local records where we all live and play. The result is a unique 100-year weather report – breaking it down so that every Australian can find out what’s happened in their local area. Did you know for example Sydney and Melbourne maximum temperatures have gone up twice as much Adelaide? Or that the last two years were the wettest on record?

There are significant outcomes presented along with the facts – such as the wine maker that moved the family business to Tasmania as insurance against future climate change. Some species of fish are taking the same course of action. For some species, life-threatening critical thresholds of temperature extremes have already been reached.

This week, Catalyst is taking the temperature of Australia.

8pm Thursday ABC1.

One Response

  1. This is a good show and it’s great to see science get some media attention, but it’s a little sad to me to not see one comment on this post from David. Of course if the Catalyst hosts sang their way through each story to a Guy Sebastian backing track and 3 pop singers judged their efforts it might be a different story. Science has never been sexy, but Catalyst does it’s best to make it so. Well done Catalyst.

Leave a Reply