No discoveries in the past forty years which changed the way we viewed the world? Maybe that's why little Johnnie was such a good PM. He was in his era! Maybe some changes will creep into society now.
There have been massive, consciousness-expanding changes in the past 40 years
DNA technology. Not a medical advance - in fact the number of changes in medicine as a consequence of DNA technology are bugger all, and the ones that exist are majorly hyped. But this has fundamentally changed our understanding of evolutions, species definitions, and human history, as well as our understanding of diseases and inheritance.
The microchip. Look back at the electrical devices of 40 years ago and compare them to today. Not even close.
GPS naviation. Not only used for speed runs and proving how good you are, it does a lot more than that
Communications, fibre-optics, data compression
But that is all beside the point for this argument.
Peer reviewed science is not without its limitations, but at the moment it's the best we've got. Much better than the alternative. But it does pay to keep its limitations in mind - namely
1. group think
2. publication bias. Positive studies are more likely to get published. This influences the opinions of reviewers (and researchers), who then use this to base their subsequent studies on. (This is actually really scary. Do NOT have a stroke in the USA. You will be on the receiving end of some really dangerous treatment).
3. plenty of others, but can't be bothered thinking about them at the moment
However, most of the "debate" about global warming is definitely driven (and funded) by big business. The fact that their arguments get quoted in forums like this shows just how persuasive their marketing is. For anyone who wants a really scary read about this, read
"Toxic Sludge is Good for You". by two authors fromt he USA. They look at the PR industry, and how they go about manipulating public opnion. VERY SCARY. In fact the global warming bit is in one of their subsequent books, but I can't remember the title of that one.
This book should be compulsory readign for anyone who watches TV news ot documentaries, or reads a news paper, or inf act does anything other than live in a cave, and occasionally come outside for a kitesurf.
Of course, is the global warming by manmade CO2 proven? Of course not. Nothing can ever be proven beyond doubt. This fact is exploited by the well-paid sceptics, who prey on the fact most members of the publilc have no understandign of how science works, or indeed how scientists think.
Similar arguments are made about "does violence on TV cause violent behaviour?" Virtually impossible to prove. No-one doubts it desensitises people to violence. That it normalises violence in people's experience. Even that people who are exposed to violence on TV subsequently act more aggressively in computer games. But does it cause violence? Impossible to prove. But the final proof of that concept should go to the advertising industry, who spend BILLIONS based on the assumption that what people see will change their behaviour.
Look where the money is being spent, and you often have a good idea of what is going on.
And how much money has been spent by big-oil to hush-hush the green debate?
Strewth, I've come over all political.
You can tell I'm stuck at work on a Sunday, with nothing to do
