NASA scientist reveals the one thing that convinced her conservative father that climate change is real

Generational debates are rarely easy. When they involve topics like politics, science, or social issues, no matter how well-reasoned an argument may be, convincing a parent to change their mind can feel impossible. Even experts in their fields often find themselves dismissed by their own families. One NASA scientist recently shared how changing her conservative father’s mind on climate change was a long and frustrating battle. The TikTok clip, posted by the Pablo Torre Finds Out podcast (@pablotorrefindsout), features the scientist explaining how, despite her expertise and their frequent conversations, it wasn’t her words that swayed her father; it was the actions of insurance companies.

Talking to the host, she said, "I would love to say that I changed my dad's mind about climate change, that his beloved daughter, who he talks to every week, finally brought him around. And he has come around but that's not what changed his mind. The thing that changed his mind was insurance companies." She further explained, "The fact that every insurance company has climate scientists on staff, and insurance companies are all pricing in climate risk." She said that "there is no financial incentive for them to do that if it wasn't real." She explained that if climate change were not real, some companies would offer lower premiums to undercut competitors. But no company does that, because the risk is real.

She said, "My dad was like, well, if capitalism says it's real, it's real." The hosts laughed, saying, "If the greediest people in America think it’s real, then that tells me something. Genuinely tells all of us something about this." The video struck a nerve, with many commenters sharing their frustrations. @arturoortega473 sarcastically said, "I won't believe my super smart scientist daughter who works at NASA but I believe insurance companies." @nursescientiststephanie noted, "I am a health care scientist, and my mother who never went to college believes non-healthcare people like RFK and other talking heads on talk radio about 'the jab' rather than me. It breaks my heart."

@kdotsgnxcatalyticconvrtr commented, "If she was his NASA scientist son, there never would’ve been a question." @anxious–herzog shared, "My dad has four STEM major children and seems to think he knows better than each of us in our respective fields." @Kyleigh added, "Imagine your daughter being a NASA SCIENTIST and still being like, 'No. I know better.'" @nothingtoofferhere reflected, "I find despite being far more educated and experienced in certain things, my boomer parents still think I’m an ignorant kid. I’m over 40." Generational divide aside, climate change is impacting the planet in measurable ways.

A study suggests that climate change may now be influencing Earth's rotation more than the moon. Researchers from ETH Zurich found that melting ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica are altering Earth's shape, slowing its rotation, and lengthening days by adding milliseconds to each day. This shift is driven by the law of angular momentum, similar to how a figure skater slows down when extending their arms. Scientists warn that if climate change continues unchecked, its impact on Earth's rotation could surpass that of tidal friction caused by the moon. The study also highlights how climate change is shifting the planet’s axis of rotation, affecting processes deep within Earth's core. Experts stress that these findings underscore humanity's impact on the planet, altering fundamental natural processes within just 200 years.

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