Author Michael Crichton passed away last week. His books were focused on controversial issues including medical malpractice, airline safety, biotechnology, nanotechnology, and Japan’s economic dominance. His most controversial book was State of Fear , a book about global warming where environmentalists are the bad guys. The book was controversial because Crichton challenged conventional wisdom about global warming.
But Crichton was not ignorant of global warming science and policy. He spent a lot of time studying the issues and have some important insights. As he was working on State of Fear, he gave provocative lecture at the California Institute of Technology titled "Aliens Cause Global Warming." To commemorate Crichton’s passing, the Wall Street Journal has republished his lecture here . Crichton’s critiques of the global warming models are still valid today.