Hurricane season has just begun, whether the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency knows it or not. And on a steadily warming planet, more numerous and more powerful storms are likely to wreak havoc in the months to come.

At the same time, critically important climate science is being defunded, experts within the government are being silenced or outright removed, and the “big beautiful bill” moving through Congress would take a large, devastating slice out of funding for research on climate change and solutions like renewable energy.

So, is this really the time to tell jokes about the climate crisis? As a scientist, I must look objectively at the evidence and say ... yes. Bring on the funny.

I know it sounds counterintuitive, but hear me out. Like so many other serious and complex issues, climate change is a battle for hearts and minds, and the order of those words “hearts” and “minds” is no accident.

As

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