A recent letter (Herald, Oct, 5) attempts to conflate the counterexample proposed by 17 year-old Hannah Cairo to the Mizohata-Takeuchi conjecture (a purely mathematical problem), with climate science models.
While her work disproves the theory, the implications are relevant only to harmonic analysis and partial differential equations. There are no direct implications for climate science. To suggest otherwise is a complete misrepresentation of this highly abstract mathematical problem to the unrelated physical principles behind climate science.
We know that solar and wind are currently the cheapest forms of electricity generation, even in this early development stage, even without subsidies. Yet, those like Mr. Hegarty, who grasp at needles of disproof in the haystack of settled science, attempt to keep us stuck in the dinosaur age.
The equation here is quite simple: cheaper + cleaner + infinite = a better future for my kids and theirs. To not cheer the transition to these energy sources, to root for dirty, more expensive, finite fossil fuels, has me question whose pockets the naysayers are looking to line. Not today’s La Plata Electric Association customers. Certainly not my grandchildren’s.
I suggest we ignore the aging cheerleaders of fossil fuels. We realists understand that oil and gas are not going away soon, but that a transition is necessary and inevitable. We should each do all we can to accelerate that transition.
I applaud LPEA for looking beyond next week and encourage all to see the big picture, to see the folly of silly, cherry-picked nodes of information trying to discount real science.
Andy Corra
Durango
