| ‘They wanted it so badly’: Russian lawyer who met with Trump Jr. denies having dirt on Clinton Posted: 11 Jul 2017 06:14 AM PDT  "I never had any damaging or sensitive information about Hillary Clinton. It was never my intention to have that," Veselnitskaya told NBC News though a translator. Saturday, the New York Times reported Trump Jr. orchestrated the meeting shortly after his father sealed the Republican nomination.
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| Air Traffic Control Averts Tragedy on Airport Taxiway Posted: 11 Jul 2017 08:47 AM PDT  The FAA is investigating an error that resulted in a close call on a crowded taxiway at San Francisco International airport last Friday.
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| Policeman pulls over black woman and quickly discovers she is the state attorney Posted: 12 Jul 2017 11:02 AM PDT  A pair of police officers caught themselves on camera, struggling to explain why they had pulled over Florida's first and only black state attorney. Aramis Ayala, who serves as state attorney in the Sunshine State's 9th Judicial Circuit, was pulled over on 19 June. When he asks what agency she works for, she responds: "I'm the state attorney".
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| Deadly military plane crash in rural Mississippi Posted: 11 Jul 2017 06:55 AM PDT ![Deadly military plane crash in rural Mississippi]( "Deadly military plane crash in rural Mississippi") Sixteen service members were killed after a U.S. military transport plane crashed in rural Mississippi on Monday evening, the U.S Marine Corps said on Tuesday.
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| Nigerian vice president back home after London visit to ailing president Posted: 12 Jul 2017 02:30 AM PDT  Nigeria's Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has returned to Abuja after a brief and unexplained visit to President Muhammadu Buhari, who is on sick leave in London, his spokesman said on Twitter on Wednesday. The unannounced and brief trip has fuelled speculation over Buhari's illness, the details of which have not been made public, and whether he will be able to stand in the 2019 elections. Osinbajo's spokesman did not give a reason for the visit and declined to comment when asked.
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| Woman Arrested After Dead Dog, 2 Other Pets Found in 113-Degree Vehicle: Cops Posted: 11 Jul 2017 11:15 AM PDT  Officers broke the window and immediately began to treat the animals.
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| Amazon’s best Prime Day deals: The definitive list Posted: 11 Jul 2017 06:50 AM PDT 
Holy... moly... Prime Day 2017 is crazy! Amazon really came through this year for Prime Day with what might just be the single most impressive shopping event we've ever seen. And we've seen a whole lot of shopping events. Prime Day 2017 is making Black Friday last year look like child's play, and nearly all of the best bargains available on Amazon on Tuesday are still going strong. You've undoubtedly come across plenty of Prime Day roundups by now, but you haven't seen anything yet. In this post, we'll show you all the best Prime Day deals on Amazon today — and we've gone through thousands of them so trust us, we would know! First things first, remember that Prime Day is only for Prime subscribers, so if you're not already a member you'll need to sign up for a free 30-day Prime trial right here on Amazon's website. Once that's done, you're ready to start saving. Highlights from today's massive Prime Day 2017 sale obviously begin with Amazon's own devices, most of which are currently on sale at their lowest prices ever. And we're not just talking about beating earlier all-time lows by a few pennies here and there. Amazon's pricing on devices like the Amazon Echo, Echo Dot, Amazon Tap, and Kindle Paperwhite are nuts! Note that the sale price won't always display properly below due to limitations with Amazon's API. If you see something you like (and you WILL see plenty that you like), be sure to click on it to see the Prime Day sale price. Amazon Devices TVs Amazon also had an insane deal going on the brand new Element 55-Inch 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV – Amazon Fire TV Edition at just $399.99, but we told you last night that it was definitely going to sell out. Well, guess what: it sold out. Don't worry though, because we've got plenty more killer TV deals for you to check out. Consumer Electronics Moving beyond TVs, there are tons of electronics on sale for Prime Day, many of which are discounted to all-time lows. Routers and Wi-Fi Systems And of course, you're going to need a killer router or mesh Wi-Fi system to keep all your new gadgets connected at blazing-fast speeds. Accessories Now, what about all of the accessories you need, like microSD cards, charging cables, and more? Don't worry, we've got you covered. Laptops What, you thought we were done? No way... how about Amazon's best bargains on laptop computers? Smart Home Don't forget about smart home devices... Smartphones And how about some smartphone deals? Gaming Oh, and let's not forget the crazy gaming deals Amazon has for Prime Day 2017. Home Goods Last but not least, it's time for the best bargains from Amazon's home goods section. -- Key Prime Day 2017 Links: --
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| Scarborough leaves GOP: ‘You apologize for your party for so long…’ Posted: 12 Jul 2017 06:54 AM PDT  "Morning Joe" host Joe Scarborough, a former Republican congressman, announced Tuesday that he plans to leave the GOP to become an independent.
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| Trump Jr Russia Meeting Jeopardizes Kushner Posted: 11 Jul 2017 11:00 AM PDT  Rachel Maddow points out that Republicans are likely to try to undercut the Trump Russia investigation and the admission to collusion by Donald Trump, Jr.
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| The 7 best views of the Larsen C iceberg breaking off Antarctica Posted: 12 Jul 2017 07:57 AM PDT  A giant iceberg breaking off Antarctica is a disconcerting sight, but it's also fascinating to watch. One of the largest icebergs ever recorded finally broke free from the Larsen C Ice Shelf in northwest Antarctica, U.S. and European agencies monitoring the region confirmed on Wednesday. The 2,200-square-mile block is about the size of Delaware (or twice the size of Luxembourg) and contains a volume of ice twice the size of Lake Erie. SEE ALSO: One of the largest icebergs ever recorded just broke free of Antarctica The iceberg won't directly add to sea level rise, since it has already been floating in the water like an ice cube in a glass. But it may have significant future consequences. Floating ice shelves act like doorstops to the land-based glaciers behind them. As chunks of the ice shelves break away — as this iceberg did — it can weaken the shelves, eventually causing their collapse. This would allow glaciers to move faster into the sea, adding new water to the ocean and raising sea levels. For now, however, here are some of the best views of Larsen C iceberg splitting off: From 6 July to 12 July, #Sentinel1 caught the final days and eventual full break-off of the berg. #LarsenC pic.twitter.com/2kVVjx4Syk — ESA EarthObservation (@ESA_EO) July 12, 2017 Satellite images from ESA show the Larsen C Iceberg breaking off Antarctica.Image: STEF LHERMITTE Thermal wavelength image of Larsen C iceberg, July 12, 2017.Image: NASA WORLDVIEW The @nytimes on the #LarsenC monitoring with @CopernicusEU #Sentinel1 data https://t.co/F5mJ64sSSF pic.twitter.com/rFQpc3atne — ESA EarthObservation (@ESA_EO) July 12, 2017 Blog post with more details about the Larsen C iceberg calving: https://t.co/B094vfbTE6 pic.twitter.com/9ta8XGTMDN — Project MIDAS (@MIDASOnIce) July 12, 2017 Image: ESA Closeup image of the Larsen C Ice Shelf rift on Nov. 10, 2016.Image: NASAWhile this iceberg alone won't have a devastating effect, and the ultimate fate of Larsen C is far from known, it does point to the alarming possibility that Larsen C and other ice shelves could collapse in response to human-caused global warming. The Antarctic Peninsula has already experienced southward-moving ice shelf collapses in recent years. Image: climate signals"This is the big story that people need to think about. What we are seeing right now ... is part of a story where the sources of sea level awakened by climate warming get bigger and bigger with time," Eric Rignot, a professor of Earth System Science at University of California at Irvine and a researcher at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, recently told Mashable Science Editor Andrew Freedman. WATCH: Giant icebergs are a big tourist draw in Newfoundland, and a warning sign
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| How To Survive A Shark Attack Posted: 12 Jul 2017 02:57 AM PDT  While it is prudent to avoid situations where you would have to confront sharks, it is also important to know how to escape when you are actually under attack.
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| China says 'China responsibility theory' on North Korea has to stop Posted: 11 Jul 2017 11:29 AM PDT  China says 'China responsibility theory' on North Korea has to stop.
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| Hear the 911 Call of a Priest's Alleged Road Rage Encounter: 'He Pointed a Gun At Me!' Posted: 12 Jul 2017 06:33 AM PDT  A mother and son found themselves staring down the barrel of a gun during a Florida encounter with a man cops say was an Episcopal priest.
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| India police warned weeks ago of attack on Hindus in Kashmir Posted: 11 Jul 2017 06:13 PM PDT  SRINAGAR, India (AP) — As India's government on Tuesday blamed separatist rebels for gunning down seven Hindu pilgrims and wounding 19 more in Kashmir before fleeing into the night, rebel groups in the disputed region condemned the rare, deadly attack on civilians and insisted they had no part in it.
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| High-speed Hyperloop completes first test run Posted: 12 Jul 2017 10:01 AM PDT  The high-speed Hyperloop has completed its first successful test, laying the foundations for a transport system that could cut the 424-mile journey from London to Edinburgh to 50 minutes. Hyperloop One has revealed it completed a test with its first prototype of the radical system, which could eventually feature pods propelled through a vacuum at speeds of up to 760 miles per hour, back in May. Introducing the world's only vehicle that achieves autonomous high-speed propulsion and levitation in a vacuum environment: our pod! pic.twitter.com/f65gD1asu5— HyperloopOne (@HyperloopOne) July 12, 2017 Credit: Hyperloop One The first version of the pod reached 70 miles per hour in the 5.3 second test in the Nevada desert. Hyperloop One said it used just 100 feet of the motor and that this will improve as "the longer the motor the faster we can go". It says it hopes to achieve speeds of 250 miles per hour in the next test. Alongside news of the trial it shared images of how the first Hyperloop One pods could look. Hyperloop CEO: We Want to Go Public in Third Quarter 03:46 It will be some time before the Hyperloop becomes a reality given the complexity of the new technology, but the test marks an important step, according to the company. "For the first time in over 100 years, a new mode of transportation has been introduced. Hyperloop is real, and it's here now," said Shervin Pishevar, co-founder and executive chairman of Hyperloop One. "By achieving full vacuum, we essentially invented our own sky in a tube, as if you're flying at 200,000 feet in the air." The company is one of a number of private firms and research groups developing versions of the system, which is the brainchild of Elon Musk. US billionaire Musk launched a competition for organisations to develop a feasible version of the idea back in 2015. A proposed route for the Hyperloop Credit: Hyperloop One California-based Hyperloop One is the first team to unveil a working prototype for the mode of transport and to test it. Its pods are designed to travel in a vacuum using magnetic levitation to reach the superfast speeds. It will further test its preliminary technology in the coming months. The company unveiled its 500m-long test track earlier this year, as well as announcing a number of potential Hyperloop routes in Europe. The nine proposed routes include three in the UK: London to Edinburgh, Cardiff to Glasgow, and Liverpool to Glasgow. Crazy futuristic transport
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| 'This Is Everything,' Trump Jr. Insists After Emails Revealed Posted: 11 Jul 2017 12:35 PM PDT  Donald Trump Jr. is distancing himself from the Russians who set up his meeting with a Kremlin-linked lawyer, despite their history of business dealings with Donald Trump. David Corn and Josh Barro join Lawrence O'Donnell to discuss Donald Jr.'s defense.
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| US troops inside Raqa, IS Syria stronghold: official Posted: 12 Jul 2017 12:53 PM PDT  United States military advisers are operating inside the city of Raqa, the Islamic State group's last major bastion in Syria, a US official said Wednesday. The troops, many of them special operations forces, are working in an "advise, assist and accompany" role to support local fighters from the Syrian Democratic Forces as they battle IS, said Colonel Ryan Dillon, a military spokesman. The troops are not in a direct combat role but are calling in air strikes and are working closer to the fight than did US forces supporting the Iraqi military in Mosul.
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| Prosecutors argue against prison time for New Jersey 'Bridgegate' mastermind Posted: 11 Jul 2017 02:42 PM PDT  By Joseph Ax NEW YORK (Reuters) - The mastermind of the "Bridgegate" lane closure scandal that helped torpedo New Jersey Governor Chris Christie's presidential bid should not be sentenced to prison due to his cooperation, U.S. prosecutors said in a court document filed on Tuesday. David Wildstein, who helped the government convict two former Christie associates after he pleaded guilty in 2015, is set to be sentenced in federal court in Newark on Wednesday. Wildstein, 55, admitted overseeing a scheme to shut down access lanes at the busy George Washington Bridge in 2013 to create massive traffic gridlock as punishment for a local Democratic mayor who refused to endorse Christie's reelection campaign.
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| Florida Couple Creates Human Chain To Save Drowning Swimmers Posted: 12 Jul 2017 12:06 AM PDT  Derek and Jessica Simmon demonstrated presence of mind and gathered beachgoers to create a human chain when they spotted nine swimmers struggling to stay afloat off the coast of Florida.
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| This Is the Best City in the World to Travel to Posted: 11 Jul 2017 08:03 AM PDT  The weather in the city is temperate year-round, so there's no bad time to visit
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| The Snake in the Lake: Boaters Scared Out of Water by Rattlesnake That Climbed Into Vessel Posted: 11 Jul 2017 01:45 PM PDT  The boaters shared a video of the incident to Twitter in an effort to warn others.
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| Wisconsin parents charged with starving, abusing 5-year-old Posted: 11 Jul 2017 02:34 PM PDT  GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — A northeastern Wisconsin husband and wife starved and abused their adopted 5-year-old son and accused him of manipulating a trip to the hospital so he could "vacation" there, according to criminal complaints.
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| Can you spot the sneaky leopard hiding in the tree? Posted: 11 Jul 2017 12:29 PM PDT  Leopards are experts when it comes to staying hidden, but there was really no need for this big cat to be so shy in front of the camera. German wildlife photographer Ingo Gerlach, who has almost 40 years experience, captured the impressive shot at the Maasai Mara game reserve in Kenya. But can you spot the leopard? Your eyes may be immediately drawn to the unlucky impala hanging from the tree branches, but take a closer look and you'll spot the hidden killer. Did you spot the leopard? Credit: Ingo Gerlach / Caters The hungry leopard can be seen climbing up the tree trunk to retrieve its dinner, left high in the branches to stop rivals from stealing its food. "Mostly I'm in Europe and in Kenya. This results in images that are unique. And that is saying something in today's flood of images," Gerlach explains on his website [translated]. Astudy published in the Journal of Animal Ecology in April examined in further detail why leopards hoist their food into trees. "Leopards exhibit a unique form of short-term food caching, regularly hoisting, storing and consuming prey in trees," researchers explained. "Leopards hoisted 51% of kills. They were more likely to hoist kills of an intermediate size ... and in response to the presence of some competitors." They said the prey was most likely to be eaten by hyaenas if left on the ground, using data from 2032 prey items killed by 104 leopards from 2013 to 2015. Gerlach has captured a number of impressive 'spot the animal' photos published in the media. You can see more of his work on Facebook. Policeman leaps from roof to escape leopard on the loose in India 00:38
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| 'No Collusion': A Timeline of Trump's Russia Denials Posted: 11 Jul 2017 06:24 AM PDT  Amid bombshell reports about Donald Trump Jr.'s meeting with a Russian lawyer he thought had damaging information on Hillary Clinton, here's a snapshot of the president's long record of denying collusion between his campaign and Russia.
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| Iraq and allies violated international law in Mosul battle: Amnesty Posted: 11 Jul 2017 10:49 AM PDT  By Stephen Kalin ERBIL, Iraq (Reuters) - Amnesty International said on Tuesday tactics used by Iraqi forces and their U.S.-led coalition allies in the battle for Mosul violated international humanitarian law and might amount to war crimes. The rights group said in a report the Islamic State militant group had also flagrantly violated humanitarian law by deliberately putting civilians in harm's way to shield their fighters and impede the advance of Iraqi and coalition forces. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared victory in Mosul on Monday, three years after Islamic State seized the city and made it the stronghold of a "caliphate" the Sunni Islamist group said would take over the world.
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| Kim Jong Un Celebrates Missile Launch With Banquet Posted: 11 Jul 2017 12:22 PM PDT  Kim Jong-Un hosted a banquet featuring pop music to celebrate the successful launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile.
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| The Latest: New wildfire brings destruction outside San Jose Posted: 11 Jul 2017 07:02 PM PDT  OROVILLE, Calif. (AP) — The Latest on wildfires across the U.S. West and Canada (all times local):
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| Man Takes His Children on Road Trip With Their Mother's Body Stuffed in Box: Cops Posted: 12 Jul 2017 10:54 AM PDT  Jose Anthony Rodriguez drove around for days with his girlfriend's battered body stuffed inside a cardboard box, police said.
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| Best Washers For $800 or Less | Washing Machine Reviews - Consumer Reports Posted: 12 Jul 2017 09:30 AM PDT  How much should you spend on a washer? You don't have to pay $1,500 to get a washer that cleans well. Expensive washers offer a jumbo capacity and extra features, but if you don't need to wash 26...
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| Photographer uncovers Italy’s most extraordinary abandoned buildings Posted: 12 Jul 2017 12:37 PM PDT ![Photographer uncovers Italy's most extraordinary abandoned buildings]( "Photographer uncovers Italy's most extraordinary abandoned buildings") A young photographer from the Netherlands has been exploring deserted structures in Italy and has found provocative sights.
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| Lawrence: Jared Kushner Faces More Trouble Than Trump Jr. Posted: 11 Jul 2017 12:03 PM PDT  Lawrence O'Donnell explains that while the revelations of Donald Trump Jr.'s emails pertaining to his meeting with a Russian lawyer during the campaign are damaging for Trump Jr. and Paul Manafort, the implications for Jared Kushner could be much worse.
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| Starbucks Is Giving Away Free Drinks This Friday Posted: 12 Jul 2017 11:57 AM PDT  It's rolling out MAJOR changes to its summer menu, too.
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| EU seals Ukraine pact ahead of Kiev summit Posted: 11 Jul 2017 04:01 AM PDT  The EU formally approved on Tuesday a landmark cooperation accord with Ukraine meant to counter a hostile Russia ahead of a high-profile summit in Kiev. The decision by the 28 European Union member states came hours before Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was due to meet EU diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini in Brussels. The EU states said they had decided to formally conclude ratification of the Association Agreement with Ukraine, effective September 1.
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| Giant, record-breaking Super Soaker can cut through glass Posted: 11 Jul 2017 03:09 PM PDT  Your favorite childhood summertime toy just got the biggest upgrade. Actually, the world's biggest upgrade. Former NASA engineer Mark Rober unveiled his latest mega-invention, the world's largest Super Soaker, just in time for those summer backyard hangouts. This kind of thing isn't new to Rober. He also helped create the world's largest NERF gun last year and the nicest car horn earlier this year. Rober constructed the giant creation with friend, Bob Clagett, with the end result stretching across at seven feet long. The Super Soaker has all the inner workings of a typical Soaker but with "fancier" parts, as he puts it. In action, the super-large Super Soaker can cut through eggs, glass, watermelon, and all other sorts of things. But the nozzle can also be switched to have lower pressure, so you can have the most epic backyard water-gun battle ever.
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| How Much Do Boeing Airplanes Cost To Make? Posted: 10 Jul 2017 09:10 PM PDT  Building the world's most popular aircraft doesn't come cheap.
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| The Latest: Governor warns against taking plane crash debris Posted: 11 Jul 2017 10:04 PM PDT  ITTA BENA, Miss. (AP) — The Latest on the deadly military plane crash in Mississippi (all times local):
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| Couple Charged in Death of Daughter, 3, Allegedly Tried to Conceal Her Injuries With Makeup Posted: 12 Jul 2017 11:12 AM PDT  She was dead when police arrived, according to reports.
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| The 10 best Prime Day 2017 TV deals Posted: 11 Jul 2017 07:36 AM PDT 
As is the case with Black Friday each year, TV deals have become a huge focus of Amazon's massive annual Prime Day shopping event. Of course, Prime Day 2017 is no different, and there are a slew of terrific deals on TVs of all shapes and sizes. The star of the show is unquestionably the Element 55-Inch 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV - Amazon Fire TV Edition, a brand new television that offers more bang for the buck than anything else on the market. It has a gorgeous 55-inch 4K display and Amazon's Fire TV software built right in, making it a tremendous value at $650. For Prime Day 2017 only, however, it's on sale for just $399.99! There are plenty of other terrific TV deals available for Prime Day 2017, with discounted prices on everything from tiny entry-level TVs perfect for a guest room to a massive 65-inch 4K HDR model that would be the crown jewel of any home theater. Below, you'll find our picks for Prime Day 2017's top TV deals. Oh, and would you like to make your TV look like the one pictured at the top of this post with awesome backlighting? The best-selling TV backlight kit on Amazon will only cost you $15 on Prime Day. -- Key Prime Day 2017 Links: --
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| This Is a Nearly Production-Ready Aston Valkyrie Posted: 12 Jul 2017 12:06 PM PDT  This is our first official look at a near-production ready Aston Martin Valkyrie. Wow.
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| How many nukes are in the world and what could they destroy? Posted: 12 Jul 2017 01:44 AM PDT  Tensions over nuclear weapons have been raised further after North Korea claimed to have successfully test-launched an intercontinental ballistic missile. This latest move comes amid increasing concern over North Korea's military capabilities, with the new US administration upping its rhetoric in response. While the Pyongyang regime increases the frequency with which it is conducting missile tests, Donald Trump's defence secretary Jim 'Mad Dog' Mattis has warned North Korea of an "effective and overwhelming" response if Pyongyang used nuclear weapons. Elsewhere, rhetoric hints at a return of the expansion of nuclear arsenals across the world. In December, Russian President Vladimir Putin told a meeting of defence chiefs that strengthening nuclear capability should be a key objective for 2017. Donald Trump then took to Twitter to respond, vowing to do the same. The United States must greatly strengthen and expand its nuclear capability until such time as the world comes to its senses regarding nukes— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 22, 2016 Such rhetoric has led to concerns about the world's nuclear capacity and the unpredictability of those in charge of the warheads. It seems the world is a long way from "coming to its senses" - with millions of kilotons already in military service around the world. Between them, the world's nuclear-armed states have around 15,000 warheads - the majority of which belong to the US and Russia. It is estimated that just under 10,000 of these are in military service, with the rest awaiting dismantlement, according to the Arms Control Association. Putin says Russia should strengthen its nuclear arsenal 00:51 Which countries have nuclear weapons? There are five nuclear-weapon states in the world: China, France, Russia, United Kingdom and the United States. These are officially recognised as possessing such weapons by the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. This treaty acknowledges and legitimises their arsenals, but they are not supposed to build or maintain them forever. Indeed, they have committed to eliminate them. There are also four other countries that have nuclear weapons: Pakistan, India, Israel and North Korea. These countries didn't sign the Treaty, and together possess an estimated 340 nuclear weapons. But it's Russia and the US that have by far the most in the world - dominating all other countries by collectively sharing 88 per cent of the world's arsenal of stockpiled nukes. This figure increases to 93 per cent when we consider retired nukes. How the world's 15,000 nukes are divided How deadly could these nuclear weapons be? The world's current collection of 14,900 nuclear weapons possesses enough power to kill millions of people and flatten dozens of cities. According to Telegraph research, it is estimated that the US and Russian arsenals combined have power equating to 6,600 megatons. This is a tenth of the total solar energy received by Earth every minute. According to the NukeMap website, the dropping of the B-83, the largest bomb in the current US arsenal, would kill 1.4m people in the first 24 hours. A further 3.7m people would be injured, as the thermal radiation radius reached 13.km. Likewise, the "Tsar Bomba" is the largest USSR bomb tested. If this bomb was dropped on New York, it is estimated that it could kill 7.6m people and injure 4.2m more. The nuclear fallout could reach an approximate area of 7,880km on a 15mph wind, impacting millions more people. Both America and Russia's arsenals are regulated by several treaties that place limits on the numbers and kinds of warheads and delivery systems they have. If either country were to expand their nuclear capacity even further, as Trump and Putin have hinted at, it could shatter these agreements and plunge the world into a new Cold War. North Korean missile ranges Our figures on nuclear weapons, based on statistics from the Arms Control Association, are mainly estimates because of the secretive nature with which most governments treat information about their arsenals.
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| Iran and Oman to strengthen ties amid Gulf crisis Posted: 12 Jul 2017 03:33 AM PDT  Iran and Oman will work to boost their ties, the Islamic republic's President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday, as a diplomatic crisis persists in the Gulf. "Iran and Oman have for years had fraternal relations and the best must be made of these good relations to reinforce them," Rouhani said as he met Oman's foreign minister.
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| EPA chief wants his useless climate change 'debate' televised, and I need a drink Posted: 11 Jul 2017 03:43 PM PDT  If you ask nearly all the world's climate scientists, there's simply no debate: The planet is warming as amounts of greenhouse gases rise in the air — and human activity is primarily to blame. But Scott Pruitt, head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, insists on debating climate change. And that debate, apparently, might be televised, Reuters reported on Tuesday. SEE ALSO: Antarctic ice shelf crack is moving at record speeds, poised to cleave off massive iceberg any minute Doubters of mainstream climate science, including Pruitt, argue that dissenting views haven't been heard by the scientific community. They falsely claim that plenty of questions still remain about the scientific evidence for human-caused global warming. In reality, however, while there is uncertainty about how quickly and severely rising temperatures will affect the planet, there's virtually no doubt among climate scientists that climate change is happening — and that it's happening because of us. Image: NASA GISSBy calling for a debate, Pruitt creates a false narrative that casts his critics as stubborn, inflexible bullies who are hell-bent on destroying the fossil fuel industry. In this scenario, climate scientists and their allies are jealously guarding the climate discussion. Why don't other folks, like coal company executives, get to have a say? Rather than inform the public, all this does is cast clouds of distrust and disbelief over the scientific community. That's why climate scientists say calls for such debates are disconcerting: According to the Trump administration, satellite observations, ground measurements, field research, and deeply scrutinized results — gathered over decades and from across the globe — simply aren't sufficiently convincing. In the interview with Reuters, Pruitt called for a "robust discussion" about climate change, though he didn't explain how the scientists participating in that discussion would be chosen. Asked if the debate should be televised, Pruitt told Reuters: "I think so. I think so. I mean, I don't know yet, but you want this to be open to the world. You want this to be on full display. I think the American people would be very interested in consuming that. I think they deserve it." Image: Ed HawkinsThe TV debate would likely build on or coincide with the Trump administration's plans to host so-called "red team, blue team" debates on climate science. Pruitt, who denies that carbon dioxide is the main cause of global warming (it is), would reportedly help pick the experts. He's floated the idea in recent weeks, saying such discussions would be modeled on processes used for evaluating military battle plans and ways that spacecraft engineers test critical systems or investigate accidents. Many climate scientists said they see this plan as a direct assault on the scientific process. Looping in non-experts to debate climate science would be like asking a person who likes looking at the stars to go head-to-head with actual astronomers and physicists. "It's one thing to respond to legitimate scientific criticism, quite another to refute unconstrained nonsense," Kate Marvel, a scientist at NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York, previously told Mashable . WATCH: It's official, 2016 was Earth's warmest year on record
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