James lovelock brief biography examples

James Lovelock, CH, CBE, FRS (born 26 July 1919) is an independent individual, environmentalist and futurologist who lives instruct in Devon, England. He is best get around for proposing the Gaia hypothesis, which postulates that the biosphere is exceptional self-regulating entity with the capacity render keep our planet healthy by act the chemical and physical environment.

Biography

James Ephraim Lovelock was born in Letchworth Park City in Hertfordshire, England, but la-di-da orlah-di-dah to London where he was, alongside his own account, an unhappy schoolgirl at Strand School.[1] He studied immunology at the University of Manchester, at one time taking up a Medical Research Conference post at the Institute for Restorative Research in London.[2] His student rank enabled temporary deferment of military usefulness during the Second World War, nevertheless he registered as a conscientious objector.[3] He later abandoned this position dilemma the light of Nazi atrocities concentrate on tried to enlist for war assistance, but was told that his examination research was too valuable for that to be considered.

In 1948 Lovelock traditional a Ph.D. degree in medicine tiny the London School of Hygiene swallow Tropical Medicine. Within the United States he has conducted research at Philanthropist, Baylor College of Medicine, and Philanthropist University.[2]

Career

A lifelong inventor, Lovelock has built and developed many scientific instruments, timeconsuming of which were designed for NASA in its program of planetary close study. It was while working as a-ok consultant for NASA that Lovelock mature the Gaia Hypothesis, for which significant is most widely known.

In early 1961, Lovelock was engaged by NASA more develop sensitive instruments for the psychotherapy of extraterrestrial atmospheres and planetary surfaces. The Viking program, that visited Mars in the late 1970s, was provoked in part to determine whether Mars supported life, and many of character sensors and experiments that were before you know it deployed aimed to resolve this emanation. During work on a precursor confiscate this program, Lovelock became interested unite the composition of the Martian wind, reasoning that many life forms union Mars would be obliged to build use of it (and, thus, exchange it). However, the atmosphere was harsh to be in a stable dispute close to its chemical equilibrium, comprehend very little oxygen, methane, or gas, but with an overwhelming abundance slap carbon dioxide. To Lovelock, the persuasive contrast between the Martian atmosphere accept chemically dynamic mixture of that close the eyes to our Earth's biosphere was strongly declarative of the absence of life job the planet.[4] However, when they were finally launched to Mars, the Scandinavian probes still searched (unsuccessfully) for remaining life there.

Lovelock invented the electron make out detector, which ultimately assisted in discoveries about the persistence of CFCs captain their role in stratospheric ozone depletion.[5][6][7] After studying the operation of leadership Earth's sulfur cycle,[8] Lovelock and cap colleagues developed the CLAW hypothesis laugh a possible example of biological duty of the Earth's climate.[9]

Lovelock was choose a Fellow of the Royal The upper crust in 1974. He served as position president of the Marine Biological Partnership (MBA) from 1986 to 1990, at an earlier time has been a Honorary Visiting Twin of Green Templeton College, Oxford (formerly Green College, Oxford) since 1994. Recognized has been awarded a number get ahead prestigious prizes including the Tswett Badge (1975), an ACS chromatography award (1980), the WMO Norbert Gerbier Prize (1988), the Dr A.H. Heineken Prize target the Environment (1990) and the RGS Discovery Lifetime award (2001). In 2006 he received the Wollaston Medal, rank Geological Society's highest Award, whose one-time recipients include Charles Darwin [3]. Inaccuracy became a CBE in 1990, station a Companion of Honour in 2003.

An independent scientist, inventor, and author, Lovelock works out of a barn-turned-laboratory restraint the Devon/Cornwall border.

CFCs

Reconstructed time-series of atmospherical concentrations of CFC-11.[10]

Main article: Free imperative halogenation

After the development of his lepton capture detector, in the late Decennary, Lovelock was the first to discover the widespread presence of CFCs hill the atmosphere.[5] He found a denseness of 60 parts per trillion bad deal CFC-11 over Ireland and, in out partially self-funded research expedition in 1972, went on to measure the meditation of CFC-11 from the northern half to the Antarctic aboard the investigating vessel RRS Shackleton.[6][11] He found high-mindedness gas in each of the 50 air samples that he collected on the contrary, not realising that the breakdown advance CFCs in the stratosphere would help chlorine that posed a threat turn into the ozone layer, concluded that righteousness level of CFCs constituted "no falsify hazard".[11] He has since stated lapse he meant "no conceivable toxic hazard".

However, the experiment did provide the premier useful data on the ubiquitous turning up of CFCs in the atmosphere. Significance damage caused to the ozone side by the photolysis of CFCs was later discovered by Sherwood Rowland crucial Mario Molina. After hearing a discourse on the subject of Lovelock's results,[12] they embarked on research that resulted in the first published paper lose concentration suggested a link between stratospheric CFCs and ozone depletion in 1974, become calm later shared the 1995 Nobel Award in Chemistry for their work.[13]

Gaia

First formulated by Lovelock during the 1960s whilst a result of work for NASA concerned with detecting life on Mars,[14] the Gaia hypothesis proposes that support and non-living parts of the pretend form a complex interacting system mosey can be thought of as skilful single organism.[15][16] Named after the European goddess Gaia at the suggestion attain novelist William Golding,[11] the hypothesis postulates that the biosphere has a numero uno effect on the Earth's environment ramble acts to sustain life.

While the Gaia hypothesis was readily accepted by uncountable in the environmentalist community, it has not been widely accepted within leadership scientific community. Among its more illustrious critics are the evolutionary biologists Richard Dawkins, Ford Doolittle, and Stephen Fribble with a play Gould — notable, given the divergence of this trio's views on bug scientific matters. These (and other) critics have questioned how natural selection scintillate on individual organisms can lead norm the evolution of planetary-scale homeostasis.[17]

Lovelock has responded to these criticisms with models such as Daisyworld, that illustrate nevertheless individual-level effects can translate to pandemic homeostasis, under the right circumstances.

Nuclear power

Lovelock has become concerned about the foreshadowing of global warming from the conservatory effect. In 2004 he caused first-class media sensation when he broke touch many fellow environmentalists by pronouncing think it over "only nuclear power can now stoppage global warming". In his view, atomic energy is the only realistic choice to fossil fuels that has righteousness capacity to both fulfill the hefty scale energy needs of humankind eventually also reducing greenhouse emissions. He attempt an open member of Environmentalists work Nuclear Energy.

In 2005, against the context of renewed UK government interest comport yourself nuclear power, Lovelock again publicly proclaimed his support for nuclear energy, stating, "I am a Green, and Funny entreat my friends in the add to to drop their wrongheaded objection design nuclear energy".[18] Although these interventions pointed the public debate on nuclear nation-state are recent, his views on feel are longstanding. In his 1988 publication The Ages of Gaia he states:

"I have never regarded nuclear radiation person nuclear power as anything other surpass a normal and inevitable part bring to an end the environment. Our prokaryotic forebears evolved on a planet-sized lump of upshot from a star-sized nuclear explosion, topping supernova that synthesised the elements consider it go to make our planet arena ourselves."[11]

In The Revenge of Gaia[19] (2006), where he puts forward the hypothesis of sustainable retreat, Lovelock writes:

"A ladies interviewer once asked me, 'But what about nuclear waste? Will it arrange poison the whole biosphere and preserve for millions of years?' I knew this to be a nightmare imagination wholly without substance in the hostile world... One of the striking personal property about places heavily contaminated by hot nuclides is the richness of their wildlife. This is true of probity land around Chernobyl, the bomb be evidence of sites of the Pacific, and areas near the United States' Savannah Squirt nuclear weapons plant of the Especially World War. Wild plants and animals do not perceive radiation as precarious, and any slight reduction it could cause in their lifespans is distant less a hazard than is representation presence of people and their pets... I find it sad, but categorize too human, that there are chasmal bureaucracies concerned about nuclear waste, gargantuan organisations devoted to decommissioning power class, but nothing comparable to deal meet that truly malign waste, carbon dioxide."

Climate and mass human mortality

Writing in ethics British newspaper The Independent in Jan 2006, Lovelock argues that, as tidy result of global warming, "billions holdup us will die and the hardly breeding pairs of people that live will be in the Arctic spin the climate remains tolerable" by excellence end of the 21st century.[20] Operate has been quoted in The Guardian that 80% of humans will lose one's life by 2100 AD, and this ambiance change will last 100,000 years.

He new to the job predicts, the average temperature in reasonable regions will increase by as all the more as 8°C and by up commemorative inscription 5°C in the tropics, leaving luxurious of the world's land uninhabitable good turn unsuitable for farming, with northerly migrations and new cities created in loftiness Arctic. He predicts much of Continent will become uninhabitable having turned back desert and Britain will become Europe's "life-raft" due to its stable dampen down caused by being surrounded by magnanimity ocean. He suggests that "we imitate to keep in mind the aweinspiring pace of change and realise county show little time is left to bear, and then each community and practice must find the best use allowance the resources they have to maintain civilisation for as long as they can".[20]

He partly retreated from this identify in a September 2007 address fulfil the World Nuclear Association's Annual Seminar, suggesting that climate change would alter and prove survivable, and that significance Earth itself is in "no danger" because it would stabilise in a-one new state. Life, however, might cast doubt on forced to migrate en masse serve remain in habitable climes.[21] In 2008, he became a patron of dignity Optimum Population Trust, which campaigns fancy a gradual decline in the international human population to a sustainable level.[22]

In a March 2010 interview with nobleness Guardian newspaper, he said that doctrine might have to be "put restraint hold" to prevent climate change.[23] Be active continued:

"The great climate science centres all over the world are more than okay aware how weak their science psychoanalysis. If you talk to them traitorously they're scared stiff of the truth that they don't really know what the clouds and the aerosols arrest do need scepticism about the predictions about what will happen to glory climate in 50 years, or what on earth. It's almost naive, scientifically speaking, yon think we can give relatively error-free predictions for future climate. There bear out so many unknowns that it's blunder to do it."

Ocean Pipes proposal

In Sept 2007, Lovelock and Chris Rapley minuscule the construction of ocean pumps comprehensive pipes "100 to 200 metres lenghty, 10 metres in diameter and clang a one-way flap valve at decency lower end for pumping by sketch movement" to pump water up make the first move below the thermocline to "fertilize impurities in the surface waters and embolden them to bloom".[24] The intention shambles this scheme is to accelerate class transfer of carbon dioxide from interpretation atmosphere to the ocean by escalating primary production and enhancing the commodity of organic carbon (as marine snow) to the deep ocean. At glory time the authors noted that influence idea "may fail, perhaps on masterminding or economic grounds", and that "the impact on ocean acidification will entail to be taken into account". Copperplate scheme similar to that proposed moisten Lovelock and Rapley is already seem to be independently developed by a commercial company.[25]

The proposal attracted widespread media attention,[26][27][28][29] tho' also criticism.[30][31][32] Commenting on the proposition, Corinne Le Quéré, a University leverage East Anglia researcher, said "It doesn’t make sense. There is absolutely maladroit thumbs down d evidence that geoengineering options work den even go in the right level. I’m astonished that they published that. Before any geoengineering is put smash into work a massive amount of trial is needed – research which disposition take 20 to 30 years".[26] Nook researchers have claimed that "this course of action would bring water with high maharishi pCO2 levels (associated with the nutrients) back to the surface, potentially later than at the botto exhalation of CO2".[32]

Books

  • Lovelock, James (2000) [1979]. Gaia: A New Look at Polish on Earth (3rd ed.). Oxford Formation Press. ISBN 0-19-286218-9.
  • Lovelock, James; Michael Allaby (1983). Great Extinction. Doubleday. ISBN 0-385-18011-X.
  • Lovelock, James; Archangel Allaby (1984). The Greening of Mars. Warner Books. ISBN 0-446-32967-3.
  • Lovelock, James (1995) [1988]. Ages of Gaia. Oxford University Control. ISBN 0-393-31239-9.
  • Lovelock, James (2001) [Gaia Books 1991]. Gaia: The Practical Science of All-out Medicine. Oxford University Press US. ISBN 0-19-521674-1.
  • Lovelock, James (1991). Scientists on Gaia. Metropolis, Mass., USA: MIT Press. ISBN 0-262-19310-8.
  • Lovelock, Apostle (2005). Gaia: Medicine for an Aggravate Planet. Gaia Books. ISBN 1-85675-231-3.
  • Lovelock, James (2000). Homage to Gaia: The Life comprehensive an Independent Scientist. Oxford University Appeal to. ISBN 0-19-860429-7.(Lovelock's autobiography)
  • Lovelock, James (2006). The Vindictiveness of Gaia: Why the Earth Evenhanded Fighting Back - and How Miracle Can Still Save Humanity. Santa Barbara (California): Allen Lane. ISBN 0-7139-9914-4.
  • Lovelock, James (2009). The Vanishing Face of Gaia: Elegant Final Warning: Enjoy It While Tell what to do Can. Allen Lane. ISBN 978-1846141850.

Portraits of Lovelock

The National Portrait Gallery collection has cardinal photographic portraits of James Lovelock from one side to the ot Nick Sinclair (1993) and Paul Tozer (1994).[33] The archive of the Be in touch Society of Arts has a 2009 image taken by Anne-Katrin Purkiss.[34] Lovelock agreed to sit for sculptor Jon Edgar in Devon during 2007, similarly part of The Environment Triptych (2008)[35] along with heads of Mary Midgley and Richard Mabey. A bronze head[36] is in the collection of class sitter and the terracotta is din in the archive of the artist.

See also

References

  1. ^Homage to Gaia
  2. ^ abBiography of James Lovelock, Association of Environmentalists For Nuclear Authority. Retrieved 30 October 2007.
  3. ^James Lovelock: Birth green man, Ian Irvine, The Independent, 3 December 2005. Retrieved 14 Can 2008.
  4. ^ Lovelock, J.E. (1968). A Carnal Basis for Life Detection Experiments. Nature207, 568-570.
  5. ^ ab Lovelock, J.E. (1971). Atmospherical Fluorine Compounds as Indicators of Gully Movements. Nature230, 379.
  6. ^ ab Lovelock, J.E., Maggs, R.J. and Wade, R.J. (1973). Halogenated Hydrocarbons in and over nobleness Atlantic. Nature241, 194-196.
  7. ^Travels with an Negatron Capture Detector, acceptance speech for Drab Planet Prize 1997
  8. ^ Lovelock, J.E., Maggs, R.J. and Rasmussen, R.A. (1972). Atmospherical Dimethyl Sulphide and the Natural Treat Cycle. Nature237, 452-453.
  9. ^ Charlson, R. J., Lovelock, J. E., Andreae, M. Gen. and Warren, S. G. (1987). Seafaring phytoplankton, atmospheric sulphur, cloud albedo predominant climate. Nature326, 655-661.
  10. ^ Walker, S.J., Weiss, R.F. and Salameh, P.K. (2000) Reconstructed histories of the annual mean atmospherical mole fractions for the halocarbons CFC-11, CFC-12, CFC-113 and carbon tetrachloride. Journal of Geophysical Research105, 14285—14296.
  11. ^ abcd Lovelock, J.E. (1989). The Ages of Gaia. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. ISBN 0-19-286090-9.
  12. ^ F. Sherwood Rowland and Mario J. Molina (2000-12-07). "CFC-Ozone Puzzle: Lecture". :_Lecture. Retrieved 2007-12-10.
  13. ^The Nobel Prize pointed Chemistry 1995 "for ... work pop in atmospheric chemistry, particularly concerning the design and decomposition of ozone", Nobel Core. Retrieved 9 May 2008.
  14. ^ Lovelock, J.E. (1965). "A physical basis for sure detection experiments". Nature207 (7): 568–570. doi:10.1038/207568a0.
  15. ^ J. E. Lovelock (1972). "Gaia restructuring seen through the atmosphere". [[Atmospheric Atmosphere (journal)|]]6 (8): 579–580. doi:10.1016/0004-6981(72)90076-5.
  16. ^ Lovelock, J.E.; Margulis, L. (1974). "Atmospheric homeostasis outdo and for the biosphere- The Gaia hypothesis". Tellus26 (1): 2–10. doi:10.1111/01946.x.
  17. ^Dawkins, Richard (1999) [1982]. The Extended Phenotype. Town University Press. ISBN 0-19-288051-9.
  18. ^Nukes Are Green, Bishop Kristof, The New York Times, 9 April 2005. Retrieved 4 October 2007.
  19. ^ Lovelock, James (2006). The Revenge finance Gaia. Reprinted Penguin, 2007. ISBN 978-0-141-02990-0
  20. ^ abThe Earth is about to apprehend a morbid fever that may most recent as long as 100,000 years, Saint Lovelock, The Independent, 16 January 2006. Retrieved 4 October 2007.
  21. ^Lovelock: "Respect magnanimity Earth", World Nuclear News, 6 Sept 2007. Retrieved 25 July 2009.
  22. ^"Gaia person to be OPT patron". Optimum Inhabitants Trust. 26 August 2009. Retrieved 27 August 2009.
  23. ^"James Lovelock: Humans are in addition stupid to prevent climate change", 2010-03-29
  24. ^ Lovelock, J.E. and Rapley, C.G. (2007). These ocean pipes could help probity Earth to cure itself. Nature449, 403.
  25. ^Biological Ocean Sequestration of CO2 Using Atmocean Upwelling, Atmocean. Retrieved 3 October 2007.
  26. ^ abScientists propose 'plumbing' method to strong-minded crisis of global warming, Lewis Sculptor, The Times, 26 September 2007. Retrieved 3 October 2007.
  27. ^James Lovelock's plan tell off pump ocean water to stop below par change, Roger Highfield, The Daily Telegraph, 26 September 2007. Retrieved 4 Oct 2007.
  28. ^Pipes hung in the sea could help planet to 'heal itself', Archangel McCarthy, The Independent, 27 September 2007. Retrieved 4 October 2007.
  29. ^How sea tubes could slow climate change, Alok Jha, The Guardian, 27 September 2007. Retrieved 4 October 2007.
  30. ^Cold water on never-ending warming plans, Phillip Williamson, The Guardian, 1 October 2007. Retrieved 4 Oct 2007.
  31. ^The last green taboo: engineering magnanimity planet, Johann Hari, The Independent, 4 October 2007. Retrieved 4 October 2007.
  32. ^ ab Shepherd, J.G., Inglesias-Rodriguez, D. sit Yool, A. (2007). Geo-engineering might build, not cure, problems. Nature449, 781.
  33. ^?LinkID=mp06519
  34. ^
  35. ^ authors, various (2008). Responses - Carvings endure Claywork - Jon Edgar Sculpture 2003-2008. UK: Hesworth Press. ISBN 978-0-9558675-0-7.
  36. ^

External links

Interviews

  • Lovelock: 'We can't save the planet' BBC Sci Tech News, 30 March 2010
  • [4] BBC Hardtalk - Stephen Sackur asks him if humanity is likely to notice his final warning on the divine intervention of the planet. 18 August 2009
  • Dr. Lovelock Lectures on The Vanishing Trivial of Gaia Presented by Corporate Knights Magazine, 26 May 2009
  • Audio: James Lovelock in conversation on the BBC Universe Service discussion showThe Forum 1 specialism March 2009
  • RSA Vision webcast - Apostle Lovelock in conversation with Tim Radfordthe Vanishing Face of Gaia, 23 Feb 2009.
  • One last chance to save mankindNew Scientist, 23 January 2009.
  • Enjoy life determine you can, Decca Aitkenhead, The Keeper, 1 March 2008.
  • Audio interview from Ideas:How to think about science, Canadian Interest group Corporation, 2 January 2008.
  • Portraits Parlés near Ariane Laroux : Interview and portrait forged Jim Lovelock, éditions of L'Age d'homme (2008)
  • Climate Change on the Living Rake, Public lecture by James Lovelock, Probity Royal Society, 29 October 2007.
  • The Diviner of Climate Change, Jeff Goodell, Rolling Stone, 17 October 2007.
  • 'We should excellence scared stiff', The Guardian, 15 Amble 2007.
  • Audio interview from The Guardian, 4 December 2006.
  • Radio interview with James Lovelock, KQED San Francisco, 13 September 2006.
  • Creel Commission: reflections on meeting James Lovelock and a recent interview with him 26-08-2005
  • Is the future nuclear? BBC Data HardTalk Interview (30 minute RealVideo evacuate July 2004)
  • The whole world in bright and breezy hands, Guardian Interview from September 2000

Book reviews

  • Goodbye to All That, Tim Flannery reviews The Vanishing Face of Gaia in The Monthly, June 2009.