the choice of speaker for the recent annual presidential lecture has been a matter of interest in the press. danish professor björn lomborg, was chosen; his latest book, "cool it", suggests that the imminent demise of polar bears is a myth. as president of the rsa, prince philip's first choice of speaker was ian plimer, professor of mineral geology at adelaide university, but this was rejected as too controversial, as plimer argues that the theory of anthropogenic global warming is unproven.