Michael Mann’s Case Moves Forward: Climate scientist Michael Mann’s defamation suit against two writers who accused him of academic fraud can proceed, an appeals court ruled Thursday. The D.C. Court of Appeals held that a “reasonable jury” would find enough evidence that the writers in question, Rand Simberg of the Competitive Enterprise Institute and Mark Steyn of the National Review, published false claims about Mann and his work “with actual malice.” “Tarnishing the personal integrity and reputation of a scientist important to one side may be a tactic to gain advantage in a no-holds-barred debate over global warming,” Judge Vanessa Ruiz wrote in the decision. (Buzzfeed, The Hill, Mashable, Greenwire $.)
Rudolph Lends a Hand: Reindeer may be an unexpected helper in keeping the Arctic cool, new research has found. The study, published in the journal Environmental Research Letters Wednesday, finds that reindeer’s grazing patterns may reduce greenery and increase snow and ice cover. Increased snow cover, in turn, helps reflect more warming solar energy back into space. (Time, Climatewire $, IFL Science, CBC.)
A Sunny Drive in France: A village in Normandy has installed the world’s first solar road. The 1km-long road in Tourouvre-au-Perche opened Thursday, covered by 2,800 sq m of solar panels encased in a protective resin. Officials have established a two-year test period for the road to see if it can generate enough electricity to power street lighting for the village. (The Guardian, Time, Mashable.)
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