Example of floating statement : Ocean acidification (by Gerrit Hatcher) Ocean Acidification Oceans more acidic since the

e start beginning of the ind!strial re"ol!tion#$ Numerous news publications have clung to this particular floating statement recently printed in a scientific report published by the NOAAs IGBP. espite this recent report! earlier scientific reports and news stories show that this floating association has been around "or some time. Particularly in light o" the recent discussions at #hin$ing the Anthropocene! I "ound it interesting that news media writers were %or "elt their readers would be& more confident this recent reports somewhat arbitrary temporali'ation o" ocean acidification! than by researchers concrete statement o" acidifications human cause. %#&# 'e(s )ebsites: CNN (

http)**edition.cnn.com*+,-.*--*-/*world*ocean(acidification(report*

%he (orld*s oceans ha"e become +,- more acidic since the start of the .nd!strial /e"ol!tion and contin!e to acidify at an !nprecedented rate#$ BBC (

012

http)**www.bbc.co.u$*news*science(environment(+/3,/-/. 0ince the start of the ind!strial re"ol!tion1 the (aters ha"e become +,more acidic.4 #he researchers statements on ocean acidifications human origins receive 5ualifications such as the 6very high confidence4 here throughout the article! while there is no re"erence to the researchers o" their level o" certainty when it comes to the temporali'ation o" the change. It is clear in the actual report that these two statements are on e5ual "ooting! as "ar as the scientists are concerned. Other 2op!lar 'e(s 3edia The New York Times

http)**www.nytimes.com*+,-+*,.*-,*opinion*changing(the(chemistry(o"(earths( oceans.html78r9,

456 the b!rning of fossil f!els since the beginning of the ind!strial re"ol!tion1 especially o"er the pat 78 years1 has gi"en them more than they can safely absorb# %he res!lt is acidification a change in the chemical balance that threatens the oceans* (eb of life#$ #he statement is not made as directly here as it is elsewhere! but it is interesting to find these ideas printed in close pro:imity in the New ;or$ #imes opinion pages more than a "ull year prior to the recent trend o" stories using this statement. Reuters

012

http)**www.reuters.com*article*+,-.*--*-/*climate(tal$s(oceans( id<=>?N,I@?A>+,-.---/

6%he st!dy 012 estimated that acidity of the oceans had already increased by +,- since the .nd!strial /e"ol!tion in the 9:th and the 9;th cent!ries#4 New Zealand Radio News B

http)**www.radion'.co.n'*news*world*++CC/,*acidity(levels(soar(in(worldDs( oceans(study

0ince the start of the ind!strial re"ol!tion1 the (ater*s ha"e become +,more acidic#$ 2op!lar 2eriodicals: The Economist

012

http)**www.economist.com*news*science(and(technology*+-?3,./3(worlds( seas(are(becoming(more(acidic(how(much(matters(not(yet(clear

62atchier data that go bac< f!rthest s!ggest there has been a +EF rise in oceanic acidity since the beginning of the ind!strial re"ol!tion1 +=8 years ago#$ 0cientific /eports (2!blic Go"ernmental): Once again! scientists 6say that they are confident4 o" the human causation! but the floating statement about the industrial revolution is able to stand alone. PGH> %#he <.=. NOAAs Pacific Garine Hcology >aboratory&

012

012

http)**www.pmel.noaa.gov*co+*story*IhatJisJOceanJAcidificationF.A Hven a more aesthetically 6hard scientific4 report such as this uses the industrial revolution timeline.

0ince the beginning of the .nd!strial /e"ol!tion1 the pH of s!rface ocean (aters has fallen by 8#9 pH !nits#$ Original =cientific Keport ( IGBP (International Geosphere Biosphere Pro!ramme" 6Ocean Acidification) =ummary "or Policyma$ers4

012

http)**igbp.sv.internetborder.se*download*-L..,?EE"cE-/+/+?dEc3--/,a*-.L// +,+C++?.*OA8spm+(A<>>(lore'.pd"

6Atmospheric carbon dio:ide %MO+& levels are rising as a result o" human activities! such as "ossil "uel burning! and are increasing the acidity o" seawater.4 Historically1 the atmosphere has absorbed approximately a >!arter of all ?O+ released into the atmosphere by h!mans since the start of the ind!strial re"ol!tion1 res!lting in a +,- increase in the acidity of the ocean#$ Nere we see that! aside "rom the reports first paragraph beginning with a clear and un5ualified statement o" ocean acidifications human origin! the floating statement in itsel" was led into with another interesting clause citing human cause. All o" the articles that I was able to find! however! "ocused on this final clause about the +EF increase! presumably since it does not implicate humans directly! and treated the first sentence on human activities as a totally di""erent and less O"actual type o" statement. 0cientific /eports (Academic): Trends in #nal$tical Chemistr$ (%&'%"

?itation) By) KProlle! Qictoire G.M.R Alo5uet! Medric A.A.R Gowlem! Gatt M.R Monnelly! ouglas P.R Achterberg! Hric P.R Bellerby! Kichard K.G.S. Trends in #nal$tical Chemistr$( TR#C) Nov+,-+! Qol. /,! p-/E(-?C. -+p. OI) -,.-,-E*T.trac.+,-+.,C.,-E. ! atabase) Academic =earch Premier

%he acc!m!lation of ?O+ in the ocean res!lts in a shift in the carbonate system e>!ilibri!m1 (ith a red!ction in sea(ater pH# 0ince the onset of the ind!strial re"ol!tion1 a"erage s!rface ocean pH has decreased by 8#9 pH !nits and1 c!rrently1 the rate of decrease is 8#88+ pH !nits per year#$ #d*ances in +arine Biolo!$ %Mhapter - ) Impacts o" the Oceans on Mlimate Mhange& %+,,3&

012

012

#here are many appearances o" this idea in this chapter! but the last paragraph captured here is the most succinct) 6/ecorded on a logarithmic scale1 pN has reduced as a global average in sur"ace seawater since the beginning of the ind!strial re"ol!tion by ~,.- units.4 Ihat is notable "or me in this paragraph is the presence o" much greater nuance in the areas o" chemistry and ocean science %in comparison to this issues coverage in popular news media&! alongside the e5ually under(discussed industrial revolution temporali'ation. #his publication also predates any o" the o"ficial reports o" popular media stories.
?itation: By) Keid! Philip M et al. #d*ances in +arine Biolo!$) +,,3! Qol. ?E! p-(-?,. -EEp. -/ iagrams! - Mhart! .L Graphs! -. Gaps. OI) -,.-,-E*=,,E?(+LL-%,3&?E,,-(/. ! atabase) Academic =earch Premier