Even years after Carl Sagan's passing, critics from the right wing persistently targeted him, demonstrating a troubling trend. This ongoing criticism included a resurgence of attacks on the concept of nuclear winter, initially put forth by physicist Richard Seitz, with notable figures like Rush Limbaugh and author Michael Crichton echoing these sentiments in the 1990s and 2000s, respectively.

This reflects a broader phenomenon: a marked shift among conservatives against scientific consensus. Naomi Oreskes' "Merchants of Doubt" highlights how certain scientists and influential public figures misrepresented scientific findings to undermine urgent issues, such as climate change and tobacco-related health risks, revealing a troubling agenda rooted in skepticism toward science.