Data from: Internet blogs, polar bears, and climate-change denial by proxy

Increasing surface temperatures, Arctic sea-ice loss, and other evidence
of anthropogenic global warming (AGW) are acknowledged by every major
scientific organization in the world. However, there is a wide gap between
this broad scientific consensus and public opinion. Internet blogs have
strongly contributed to this consensus gap by fomenting misunderstandings
of AGW causes and consequences. Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) have become
a “poster species” for AGW, making them a target of those denying AGW
evidence. Here, focusing on Arctic sea ice and polar bears, we show that
blogs that deny or downplay AGW disregard the overwhelming scientific
evidence of Arctic sea-ice loss and polar bear vulnerability. By denying
the impacts of AGW on polar bears, bloggers aim to cast doubt on other
established ecological consequences of AGW, aggravating the consensus gap.
To counter misinformation and reduce this gap, scientists should directly
engage the public in the media and blogosphere.