Progress in science seems to be moving backward this 2016. Everything does not move in a straight line as what we've expected. Take climate change as an example. Recently, the landmark Paris Agreement take effect with hundreds of nations signing to join the combat against the Earth's changing environment.

However, just a few days later, the United States voters elected a climate skeptic to rule the highest office in the land. The following are the biggest setbacks to science in 2016.

Donald J. Trump on Climate Change

Reports claimed that his election as President of the United States would discredit many scientific establishments. With Donald Trump as the ruler of the land, signifies a dark future for science in the U.S. particularly in the topics like climate change.

In Trump's tweet on his Twitter account, he considered global warming as a hoax and a "very expensive bullshit." Since he won the election, he had established a cabinet of oil tycoons and climate skeptics who do not believe that climate change exists.

Trump even said that vaccine and doctors, in general, can cause autism. He thinks that the wind turbines are destroying the country's bald eagle population and even went on a bizarre tirade against "environment-friendly" lightbulbs.

Denial on Climate Change

Climate scientists have agreed that the planet is warming due to human carbon emissions. However, the Republican who recently dominated the House did his best to block and prevent all climate change initiatives. The new president has even found ways to cut funding in every budget line item that contains the word "climate."

An article posted in Breitbart website shows a chock-full of misinformation about climate science. It contains reports that counter NASA's evidence about the current status of the environment.

The Anti-Vaccine Movement

Since Trump was elected as president of the United States of America, the anti-vaccine movement has spread. Recently, the anti-vaccine propaganda went mainstream endorsed by Robert DeNiro. The president has even expressed his sympathy to the anti-vaccine movement saying he might become the first anti-vaxxer in the office.

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