The Science of Climate History & The History of Climate Science - The Problem of Perception and
Cultural Lag-Time

Learning about the ever changing and variable climate of Earth has involved a long history in the evolution of modern science itself. Observations, theories and experiments involving many different, independent and quite often seemingly unrelated elements have lead to an increasingly sophisticated science of climate change. Milestones in the history of climate science are presented and discussed.

Scientific discoveries are only rarely accepted by the entire population within which the scientists have been working, and often they are vehemently opposed by those who feel threatened by the information and rejected by a public that is confused. This is complicated by the fact that in authoritarian societies climate science information is often explicitly restricted and controlled, whereas in market-integrated societies the imperatives of "selling" through the media often obscure the nature of chronic, enduring and systemic problems because they lack immediate market solutions.