Blinded by the Light
How the IPCC Ignored the Sun
Dr. Matthew Wielicki
Mar 28, 2025
I’ve spent most of my career in earth science, working alongside thoughtful, rigorous, and principled scientists, people I deeply respect. I don't believe most are dishonest or driven by ideology. Indeed, much of the foundational science in IPCC's Working Group I, which addresses climate data, physical mechanisms, and processes, appears careful and credible. But even there, there's a troubling gap: natural variability is consistently underexplored, overlooked, or simply not taken seriously.
But something happens between the technical findings and the public narrative. By the time it reaches policymakers, media, and the general public, nuance disappears. Uncertainty becomes certainty. Debate becomes denial. And science becomes storytelling.
Nowhere is this more obvious than in how the IPCC treats Total Solar Irradiance (TSI), the literal energy source for Earth’s entire climate system.
Each time I write about this, I get closer to saying what I once refused to believe: maybe this isn’t just sloppy communication or bureaucratic overreach. Maybe it’s scientific fraud.
https://irrationalfear.substack.com/p/blinded-by-the-light
