Fifty four years ago, on this day, March 11, 1969, some NASA scientists mention the (non-controversial) build-up of C02
John E. Naugle, Donald Hearth at hearing on NASA budget
“If we are to understand our own atmosphere and to evaluate the long-term consequences of man-made changes (such as the increase in carbon dioxide content), we need to conduct comparative studies of the atmospheres of the other planets.”
“As we look at our planet, as we look at the population that is increasing, we know that man is not only polluting, but possibly beginning to change the very fundamental nature of our atmosphere on the earth.”—John E. Naugle
source = climatebrad
The amount of carbon dioxide in the air was roughly 325.6ppm. As of 2023 it is 419ppm, but check here for daily measures.
The context was
NASA’s stock was very high, they were about to put a man on the Moon using 20 billion pounds of your money and good old American knowhow as provided by Good old Americans like Dr. Wehrner von Braun. And they were also looking at Venus and Mars and so forth.
So it’s really no surprise to the NASA folks would be aware of carbon dioxide buildup because well it’s fairly basic science
What I think we can learn from this
This is just one more example of how, by the late 1960s, scientists were informing politicians about the basic facts of what was being done to the planet. It was not a theory, it was just a fact.
What happened next
NASA put men on the moon. Apollo 13 showed for anyone who was paying attention the dangers of carbon dioxide buildup. Man didn’t get beyond low Earth orbit. The Space Shuttle was done on the cheap, and it showed twice. Now it looks like 50 years later, we are going to put Whitey on the moon. In the words of Gil Scott Heron.
What do you think? Does this pass the ‘so what?’ threshold? Have I got facts wrong? Interpretation wrong? Please do comment on this post, unless you are a denialist, obvs..