Climate One
Climate One
Climate One from The Commonwealth Club
A Cancer Diagnosis Reframed How Ben Santer Thinks About Climate Science
1 hour Posted Aug 7, 2026 at 7:15 am.
– Introduction 
– Ben Santer on how he’s doing amidst his health issues
– Ben Santer on having the motivation to keep going 
– Ben Santer on what it means to find human fingerprints on climate disruption 
– Ben Santer on the importance of climate measuring 
– Ben Santer on persevering through personal attacks and credible death threats
– Ben Santer on the effect of Trump administration funding cuts
– Ben Santer dealing with grief 
– Rachel Rothschild on how state superfund laws work
– Rachel Rothschild on having her personal communication targeted
– Rachel Rothschild on the personal tax of doing her work 
– Rachel Rothschild on what surprised her   
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Show notes
Atmospheric scientist Ben Santer pioneered the research that connects human activity to specific climate events. Now, pursuing treatment for a rare type of lymphoma, he sees his own diagnosis and his climate science as the same kind of detective work: using essential and basic science to conduct tests, read complex markers, and rule out every other cause. Even while ill, he's calling out efforts by the Trump administration to reject, defund and ignore the science we all depend on. 
“If we leave basic science behind because the administration doesn't like the results of the science, then as Americans, we're not gonna thrive, and the planet isn't gonna thrive either,” Santer says.
Guests: 
Ben Santer, Atmospheric Scientist, University of East Anglia  
Rachel Rothschild, Assistant Professor, University of Michigan Law School
Highlights:
 
 
 
For show notes and related links, visit ⁠our episode page⁠ at ClimateOne.org
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