How annoying this is: 'But the collective expertise of thousands of researchers barely registers with global warming skeptics, creationist movie producers and distrustful parents. Why is scientific authority under fire from so many corners?'

A neat trick, associating global warming scepticism with creationism! Why is it so difficult for people to understand that science proceeds via argument backed by data not by 'consensus' whatever that might be or estimations of scientists' expertise.