In an exclusive Fresh Dialogues interview, Robert Ballard, ocean explorer of Titanic fame says, "If you want to know the truth: it's too late. All the ice is going to melt. There's a lag and it's already in the system."
Ballard, a respected scientist, professor of oceanography and founder of the Inner Space Center says he is worried about the future of mankind, "Sometimes I see this tombstone that says, 'the human race came and went but it was politically correct.' As a scientist I am not politically correct. My job is not to be politically correct. My job is to call it as I see it."
Ballard was in Silicon Valley as part of the Foothill College Celebrity Forum Series to talk about his educational outreach programs and his recent expeditions to the Black Sea. He sat down with me for an interview in the Green Room of the Flint Center before his lecture on January 22 and we discussed global warming, alternative energy, funding his expeditions, and how he sees his role in educating children in science.
Although some scientists argue that global warming is part of a natural cycle in the earth's climate, and humans have no part to play, Ballard clarifies the debate. Yes, we're in a natural cycle, he says, but the real argument is this: how much of this is a natural cycle and how much is it human additive?
Ballard says it's both, and explains, "Whenever you have a tremendous controversy both sides tend to be right and wrong." He says we are experiencing natural interglacial warming, but we're increasing the severity of it with our heavy human footprint and if we steepen it too much, evolution can't keep up and extinction will happen. He says we can do a lot to impact our human carbon footprint and suggests population control is vital.
On the subject of alternative energy, Ballard says he's proud of the investment being made in wind energy, but is also an enthusiastic supporter of nuclear power.
Finally, for all Ballard's youthful fans (he received over 16,000 letters from children when he discovered the Titanic), and in tribute to the infamous query by Barbara Walters I asked him, "If you were a sea creature, what sea creature would you be?" Check out the Fresh Dialogues transcript to find out.
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