Technologies

Climate Denial on YouTube Is Evolving. Here’s How to Make Sense of It

Shapeshifting narratives make climate denial harder to spot. But being aware is half the battle.

If you encountered climate change denial on the internet, how confident are you that you could recognize it for what it was?

You might think you have a good idea of what climate misinformation and disinformation look like, but a report published on Tuesday by the Center for Countering Digital Hate serves as a warning to us to be vigilant about the shapeshifting nature of climate denial.

The CCDH has been monitoring the presence of climate denial on YouTube and has seen a collapse in many of the old narratives that used to dominate on the platform. But, over the past five years, newer denial narratives have taken hold and now make up 70% of all climate denial on the platform — up from 35% in 2018.

Climate scientists around the world are unanimous in their verdicts, both when it comes to the causes of climate change and its solutions. We’re also increasingly feeling the effects of climate change in our lives in the form of extreme weather, from heatwaves to hard-hitting storms, forest fires and floods. But no matter how much progress is made by scientists or how much the realities of the climate crisis hit home, there have always been, and likely always will be, many who seek to undermine the truth for financial or political reasons.

In the past, climate denial largely focused on invalidating the existence and causes of climate change. You might have heard arguments saying that climate change doesn’t exist, with people arguing it’s a conspiracy or that the unpredictable and extreme weather being experienced around the world can be explained away as natural fluctuations in our planet’s weather patterns.

Scientists have proven these narratives false, and the use of them as denial narratives is, thankfully, increasingly rare. In its report, the CCDH quotes climate skeptiscm researcher John Cook as saying this is because «science denial has become untenable» in light of people experiencing climate impacts for themselves.

Using AI to scan transcripts from over 12,000 climate-related videos, the CCDH found that mentions of one of the key false narratives – that global warming doesn’t exist – dropped from 48% in 2018 to 14% last year.

But filling the void, new forms of climate denial are on the rise. Rather than arguing against the existence of climate change and its causes, new climate denial aims to undermine solutions and the work of the global climate movement.

The prevalence of the narrative that climate solutions don’t work is up from 9% to 30%, meanwhile there’s been a 23% to 35% jump in suggestions that climate science, policy and the climate movement are unreliable.

Just as scientists are clear about the causes of climate change, they’re also clear about what the solutions are and that they work. Over and over again, they’ve reiterated that the main thing we need to do is stop burning fossil fuels that emit harmful greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere. Green energy alternatives — including solar, wind and hydro — work. They’re reliable, cost efficient and take up the same or even less space than current energy infrastructure.

«The bad guys have moved the battleground from the realities of anthropogenic climate change to trying to disrupt another part in the chain that leads to action,» said Imran Ahmed, chief executive of the CCDH in a briefing ahead of the report’s publication.

How to identify new climate denial

Climate denial has long relied on a mix of pseudoscientific claims and politically motivated propaganda. In the past, multiple investigations have found that it was largely funded and propagated, both overtly and covertly, by the fossil fuel lobby. Climate denial may look different from the way it has in the past, but in its newer forms it can be equally insidious.

This is all worth bearing in mind when you’re spending time on social media platforms such as YouTube, which allows the discussion of denial narratives, but demonetizes them.

«Our climate change policy prohibits ads from running on content that contradicts well-established scientific consensus around the existence and causes of climate change,» said a YouTube spokesperson in a statement. «We also display information panels under relevant videos to provide additional information on climate change and context from third parties.»

In spite of this, the CCDH found adverts running on videos including newer forms of climate denial. After raising these cases with YouTube, some videos were demonetized but the majority were found to not contravene YouTube’s policies, suggesting that the evolution of climate denial narratives is creating ambiguity.

The CCDH recommends that Google and other social platforms update their policies to reflect the presence of new forms of climate denial. But as we use these platforms, it’s also important for us to be wary that these narratives are out there. And they’re looking for new audiences.

Where might you find such new forms of climate denial? In its report, the CCDH points to several YouTube channels with follower counts in their millions, including Jordan Peterson, BlazeTV and PragerU. But there are just a handful of sources included among the 96 channels studied by the CCDH.

As well as the fossil fuel lobby, controversial creators on digital platforms are incentivized to keep spinning these new denial narratives as they’re rewarded with clicks, views and money, said Ahmed.

What are the red flags? Look out for content that includes what climate scientist and University of Pennsylvania Professor Michael Mann has identified as the five Ds: deflection, delay, division, despair and doomism.

If you’ve stumbled across a narrative that’s attempting to deflect the conversation away from scientifically approved climate solutions or delay their adoption, that can be a warning sign. Likewise, denial content could be attempting to sow discord between climate experts or experts.

Finally, don’t subscribe to doom and gloom narratives. The truth is there is plenty that can be done about climate change, and there is plenty that is being done.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Wednesday, May 21

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for May 21.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword is a bit of a tough one. 6-Across and 2-Down want you to come up with words that match up with another word that starts with the same two letters. 2-Down was easy, but 6-Across stumped me until my other answers filled it in. (Hint: It’s not green grass…) Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? Read on. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

The Mini Crossword is just one of many games in the Times’ games collection. If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get at those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: Either role played by Michael B. Jordan in 2025’s «Sinners»
Answer: TWIN

5A clue: «Wow, wow, wow!»
Answer: OHMY

6A clue: Gr-» word that follows «green»
Answer: GRAPE

7A clue: Bit of land in the ocean
Answer: ISLE

8A clue: Père ___, name for Santa Claus in France
Answer: NOEL

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Trunk of the body
Answer: TORSO

2D clue: «Wh-» word that follows «white»
Answer: WHALE

3D clue: Urge forward
Answer: IMPEL

4D clue: Bill ___ the Science Guy
Answer: NYE

6D clue: Alcohol paired with tonic
Answer: GIN

How to play more Mini Crosswords

The New York Times Games section offers a large number of online games, but only some of them are free for all to play. You can play the current day’s Mini Crossword for free, but you’ll need a subscription to the Times Games section to play older puzzles from the archives.

Technologies

I Took Google’s New Try On Feature for a Spin — It Was Fascinating (and Hilarious)

Commentary: I used AI to see how different outfits would look on me, and the results were revealing.

Online shopping often feels like a shot in the dark. It’s hard to predict how an outfit a model is wearing will fit me. But at Google I/O on Tuesday, I demoed a new feature called Try On that uses AI to show you how a dress, shirt, skirt or pants will actually look on you. I was surprised, and also incredibly amused.

After posing for a quick photo, a Google employee showed me different clothing options in the Shopping tab. I settled on a cute long-sleeved denim jumpsuit, tapped it and uploaded my photo. After about 30 seconds, my real-life floral jumpsuit was replaced by the denim one. The generated image looked impressively real: the sleeves were perfectly tailored, the collar was popped and my pink headscarf (which I was wearing in real life and Gemini thankfully kept on) was neatly tucked in.

«It actually looks like I’m wearing it,» I said in amazement. «I’m quite impressed.» It even added a purse in my right hand, which was a funny touch.

Try On is powered by Google’s custom image generation model, which can demonstrate how materials drape, fold and stretch on different body types. It’s available now in Search Labs, which lets people try out Google Search features before they roll out to the masses.

After opting into the feature, you’ll see an icon that says «try it on» when browsing for clothes in Google. Upload a full-length photo of yourself (ideally with good lighting and fitted clothing), and watch in wonder as that dress or shirt miraculously appears on you. You can also save the generated image and share it with friends.

Of course, I had to have some fun with Try On. As someone who wears hijab, I only wear long sleeves and long pants when I’m out and about. So I decided to test the feature and see what it would do if I picked a pink sleeveless dress. The result was hilarious.

It did in fact expose my arms (or what it thinks they look like), and also added some random bracelets and a watch that I was definitely not wearing in real life. Thankfully, it kept my headscarf on (which perfectly matched the pink dress), but that only made for a more hilarious juxtaposition with my exposed AI skin. Well, at least it maintained the dress’s accuracy.

If you’re worried about privacy concerns, my colleague Katelyn Chedraoui reached out to Google to ask about Try On’s privacy policies. In response, a Google spokesperson said: «Your uploaded photo is never used beyond trying things on virtually, nor is your photo used for training purposes. It is not shared with other Google products, services or third parties, and you can delete or replace it at any time.»

So, if you’re keen to see how that outfit you would totally wear — or totally wouldn’t — looks on you, look no further than your phone; no fitting room required. Personally, I look forward to trying on more outfits, both appealing and ridiculous, just for the heck of it.

Technologies

McDonald’s Snack Wrap: Is the Viral Food Favorite Returning on July 14?

July 14 could be the release date for the much-longed-for chicken Snack Wraps, but Ronald and crew aren’t talking.

McDonald’s is riding a viral wave. The fast-food chain’s Minecraft Happy Meals and adult Minecraft Meals hit restaurants on April 1 and sold out quickly. Diners ordering a Happy Meal these days will find a Squishmallow theme meal instead. But there’s more viral buzz about another McDonald’s product online. People are eagerly awaiting the return of Snack Wraps, a chicken-tortilla entree that’s been missing from US locations of the Golden Arches since 2020.

Read more: Review: McDonald’s Minecraft Meals Feature The Hottest Nugget Sauce Ever

On April 15, McDonald’s tweeted «snack wraps 0x.14.2025,» hinting the wraps would return on the 14th of an upcoming month. This leaves fans having to check their McDonald’s mobile app or local restaurant menus on the 14th of every month, hoping the wraps will make an appearance. The wraps didn’t appear in restaurants on May 14, so now fans must check again in June, and again in July if the June date does not pan out.

At least one Reddit users seems to think the McDonald’s Snack Wraps could return on July 14. One user wrote, «It’s July, I work for McDonald’s,they revealed the date on the employee app.»

But another person posted, «It’s not July. I work at McDonald’s corporate and can confirm.»

Neither of those posts can be confirmed.

June 14 is a Saturday, while July 14 is a Monday. Some suggest that McDonald’s would be more likely to launch a new product on a Monday than on a weekend, so if that’s true, July 14 could be the day.

A representative for McDonald’s did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

snack wraps 0x.14.2025

— McDonald’s (@McDonalds) April 15, 2025

Snack Wrap fever

Snack Wraps first came out in 2006, and were meant to be a chicken item that would appeal to drive-thru customers. There are different versions, but the basic one includes white-meat chicken strips known as McCrispy Strips wrapped in a flour tortilla with cheese and lettuce with either ranch, honey mustard or salsa. McCrispy Strips are a reworked version of a chicken item formerly known as Chicken Selects.

Zach Ciampa, who regularly covers new food releases under the social-media handle Snach With Zach, said there’s been an intense fanbase out there for the wraps. «Regarding McDonald’s Snack Wrap, it’s by far the most requested item I’ve ever seen my audience ask or demand to come back,» he told CNET. «Not just the most requested in recent memory, but the most requested of all time. And that’s not limited to McDonald’s.» Ciampa said the only similar fast-food items that come close to the same level of interest are Dairy Queen’s S’mores Blizzard and Taco Bell’s Caramel Apple Empanada, both of which also made recent returns.

«I’ve been covering food releases for years, and in that time, I’ve seen countless comments to the tune of ‘We don’t want this. We want the Snack Wrap,’ and, ‘Can you tell us when the Snack Wrap is coming back?'» he said. «A couple years ago, the chances of its return were pretty bleak. However, things escalated pretty quickly in late 2023 when McDonald’s did indeed announce that the Snack Wrap would return in a new form. Since then, details have slowly but surely trickled out, and the hype has steadily grown.»

While Snack Wraps left McDonald’s locations in the US back in 2020, they remained available at Canadian and UK restaurants. The current online McDonald’s Canada menu includes several tortilla-wrapped items, including ones with crispy chicken, grilled chicken, buffalo chicken and chicken with a sweet chili sauce.