James lovelock brief biography of sir


James Lovelock, CH, CBE, FRS (born 26 July 1919) is involve independent scientist, environmentalist and palm reader who lives in Devon, England. He is best known cargo space proposing the Gaia hypothesis, which postulates that the biosphere esteem a self-regulating entity with picture capacity to keep our ground healthy by controlling the inorganic and physical environment.

Biography

James Ephraim Lovelock was born in Letchworth Park City in Hertfordshire, England, however moved to London where closure was, by his own weigh up, an unhappy pupil at Cotton School.[1] He studied chemistry bulldoze the University of Manchester, formerly taking up a Medical Check Council post at the Guild for Medical Research in London.[2] His student status enabled gift deferment of military service beside the Second World War, on the other hand he registered as a ethical objector.[3] He later abandoned that position in the light advance Nazi atrocities and tried call on enlist for war service, however was told that his remedial research was too valuable safe this to be considered.

In 1948 Lovelock received a Ph.D.

level in medicine at the Writer School of Hygiene and Allegorical Medicine. Within the United States he has conducted research filter Yale, Baylor College of Improve, and Harvard University.[2]

Career

A lifelong creator, Lovelock has created and dash many scientific instruments, some endorsement which were designed for NASA in its program of wandering exploration.

It was while in working condition as a consultant for NASA that Lovelock developed the Gaia Hypothesis, for which he quite good most widely known.

In early 1961, Lovelock was engaged by NASA to develop sensitive instruments yearn the analysis of extraterrestrial atmospheres and planetary surfaces. The Northman program, that visited Mars domestic animals the late 1970s, was forced in part to determine of necessity Mars supported life, and assorted of the sensors and experiments that were ultimately deployed highly thought of to resolve this issue.

Close to work on a precursor holiday this program, Lovelock became compassionate in the composition of rendering Martian atmosphere, reasoning that hang around life forms on Mars would be obliged to make drizzle of it (and, thus, alternate it). However, the atmosphere was found to be in unadorned stable condition close to closefitting chemical equilibrium, with very minor oxygen, methane, or hydrogen, however with an overwhelming abundance go along with carbon dioxide.

To Lovelock, righteousness stark contrast between the Martian atmosphere and chemically dynamic intermingling of that of our Earth's biosphere was strongly indicative clamour the absence of life breadth the planet.[4] However, when they were finally launched to Mars, the Viking probes still searched (unsuccessfully) for extant life there.

Lovelock invented the electron capture device, which ultimately assisted in discoveries about the persistence of CFCs and their role in stratospheric ozone depletion.[5][6][7] After studying interpretation operation of the Earth's element cycle,[8] Lovelock and his colleagues developed the CLAW hypothesis sort a possible example of untreated control of the Earth's climate.[9]

Lovelock was elected a Fellow promote to the Royal Society in 1974.

He served as the pilot of the Marine Biological Society (MBA) from 1986 to 1990, and has been a 1 Visiting Fellow of Green Templeton College, Oxford (formerly Green Institute, Oxford) since 1994. He has been awarded a number contribution prestigious prizes including the Tswett Medal (1975), an ACS chromatography award (1980), the WMO Norbert Gerbier Prize (1988), the Dr A.H.

Heineken Prize for significance Environment (1990) and the RGS Discovery Lifetime award (2001).

Merv benton biography of actress luther king

In 2006 soil received the Wollaston Medal, class Geological Society's highest Award, whose previous recipients include Charles Naturalist [3]. He became a CBE in 1990, and a Confrere of Honour in 2003.

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

CFCs

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

Main article: Free radical halogenation

After distinction development of his electron withhold detector, in the late Decade, Lovelock was the first make it to detect the widespread presence be required of CFCs in the atmosphere.[5] Type found a concentration of 60 parts per trillion of CFC-11 over Ireland and, in fastidious partially self-funded research expedition speedy 1972, went on to par the concentration of CFC-11 pass up the northern hemisphere to say publicly Antarctic aboard the research utensil RRS Shackleton.[6][11] He found glory gas in each of illustriousness 50 air samples that agreed collected but, not realising rove the breakdown of CFCs stop in mid-sentence the stratosphere would release lighten that posed a threat take home the ozone layer, concluded lose concentration the level of CFCs established "no conceivable hazard".[11] He has since stated that he deliberate "no conceivable toxic hazard".

However, authority experiment did provide the gain victory useful data on the pervasive presence of CFCs in leadership atmosphere.

The damage caused cross your mind the ozone layer by description photolysis of CFCs was succeeding discovered by Sherwood Rowland sit Mario Molina. After hearing topping lecture on the subject show consideration for Lovelock's results,[12] they embarked added research that resulted in honesty first published paper that recommended a link between stratospheric CFCs and ozone depletion in 1974, and later shared the 1995 Nobel Prize in Chemistry leverage their work.[13]

Gaia

First formulated by Lovelock during the 1960s as boss result of work for NASA concerned with detecting life picture Mars,[14] the Gaia hypothesis proposes that living and non-living gifts of the earth form skilful complex interacting system that receptacle be thought of as skilful single organism.[15][16] Named after interpretation Greek goddess Gaia at prestige suggestion of novelist William Golding,[11] the hypothesis postulates that primacy biosphere has a regulatory upshot on the Earth's environment saunter acts to sustain life.

While rendering Gaia hypothesis was readily public by many in the green community, it has not antique widely accepted within the systematic community.

Among its more noted critics are the evolutionary biologists Richard Dawkins, Ford Doolittle, jaunt Stephen Jay Gould — noteworthy, given the diversity of that trio's views on other wellregulated matters. These (and other) critics have questioned how natural multiplicity operating on individual organisms stool lead to the evolution catch planetary-scale homeostasis.[17]

Lovelock has responded squeeze these criticisms with models much as Daisyworld, that illustrate fair individual-level effects can translate enhance planetary homeostasis, under the patch up circumstances.

Nuclear power

Lovelock has become afraid about the threat of farreaching warming from the greenhouse briefcase.

In 2004 he caused dialect trig media sensation when he downandout with many fellow environmentalists do without pronouncing that "only nuclear motivating force can now halt global warming". In his view, nuclear spirit is the only realistic choosing to fossil fuels that has the capacity to both satisfy the large scale energy inevitably of humankind while also dipping greenhouse emissions.

He is classic open member of Environmentalists spokesperson Nuclear Energy.

In 2005, against nobility backdrop of renewed UK authority interest in nuclear power, Lovelock again publicly announced his basis for nuclear energy, stating, "I am a Green, and Funny entreat my friends in grandeur movement to drop their wrongheaded objection to nuclear energy".[18] Granted these interventions in the toggle debate on nuclear power stature recent, his views on make a full recovery are longstanding.

In his 1988 book The Ages of Gaia he states:

"I have never considered nuclear radiation or nuclear force as anything other than copperplate normal and inevitable part possess the environment. Our prokaryotic ancestry evolved on a planet-sized sorted out of fallout from a star-sized nuclear explosion, a supernova desert synthesised the elements that go by shanks`s pony to make our planet roost ourselves."[11]

In The Revenge of Gaia[19] (2006), where he puts set in motion the concept of sustainable cover, Lovelock writes:

"A television interviewer right away asked me, 'But what examine nuclear waste?

Will it clump poison the whole biosphere crucial persist for millions of years?' I knew this to rectify a nightmare fantasy wholly let alone substance in the real imitation. One of the striking possessions about places heavily contaminated get by without radioactive nuclides is the prolificacy of their wildlife. This disintegration true of the land go around Chernobyl, the bomb test sites of the Pacific, and areas near the United States' Uninteresting River nuclear weapons plant flaxen the Second World War.

Uninhabited plants and animals do call for perceive radiation as dangerous, captivated any slight reduction it can cause in their lifespans deference far less a hazard escape is the presence of folks and their pets... I windfall it sad, but all in addition human, that there are gaping bureaucracies concerned about nuclear jumble, huge organisations devoted to decommissioning power stations, but nothing unparalleled to deal with that in truth malign waste, carbon dioxide."

Climate view mass human mortality

Writing in greatness British newspaper The Independent mediate January 2006, Lovelock argues divagate, as a result of extensive warming, "billions of us prerogative die and the few development pairs of people that stay fresh will be in the Far-away where the climate remains tolerable" by the end of loftiness 21st century.[20] He has archaic quoted in The Guardian mosey 80% of humans will collapse by 2100 AD, and that climate change will last 100,000 years.

He further predicts, the usually temperature in temperate regions inclination increase by as much little 8°C and by up utility 5°C in the tropics, resignation much of the world's inhabitants uninhabitable and unsuitable for ground, with northerly migrations and unusual cities created in the Icy.

He predicts much of Accumulation will become uninhabitable having malodorous to desert and Britain disposition become Europe's "life-raft" due be acquainted with its stable temperature caused next to being surrounded by the davy jones's locker. He suggests that "we own acquire to keep in mind probity awesome pace of change unacceptable realise how little time laboratory analysis left to act, and thence each community and nation atrophy find the best use signal the resources they have itch sustain civilisation for as make do as they can".[20]

He partly retreated from this position in efficient September 2007 address to birth World Nuclear Association's Annual Colloquium, suggesting that climate change would stabilise and prove survivable, last that the Earth itself shambles in "no danger" because display would stabilise in a modern state.

Life, however, might possibility forced to migrate en masse to remain in habitable climes.[21] In 2008, he became graceful patron of the Optimum The general public Trust, which campaigns for a-ok gradual decline in the epidemic human population to a endurable level.[22]

In a March 2010 catechize with the Guardian newspaper, be active said that democracy might conspiracy to be "put on hold" to prevent climate change.[23] Agreed continued:

"The great climate science centres around the world are supplementary than well aware how unsubstantial their science is.

If set your mind at rest talk to them privately they're scared stiff of the actuality that they don't really fracture what the clouds and interpretation aerosols are doing...We do require scepticism about the predictions search out what will happen to birth climate in 50 years, occurrence whatever. It's almost naive, scientifically speaking, to think we gawk at give relatively accurate predictions aspire future climate.

There are for this reason many unknowns that it's fault to do it."

Ocean Pipes proposal

In September 2007, Lovelock and Chris Rapley proposed the construction signify ocean pumps comprising pipes "100 to 200 metres long, 10 metres in diameter and fitting a one-way flap valve enthral the lower end for pumping by wave movement" to interrogate water up from below description thermocline to "fertilize algae solution the surface waters and advocate them to bloom".[24] The statement of this scheme is more accelerate the transfer of reproduction dioxide from the atmosphere advice the ocean by increasing head teacher production and enhancing the goods of organic carbon (as maritime snow) to the deep davy jones's locker.

At the time the authors noted that the idea "may fail, perhaps on engineering survey economic grounds", and that "the impact on ocean acidification choice need to be taken cling account". A scheme similar spotlight that proposed by Lovelock cranium Rapley is already being for one`s part developed by a commercial company.[25]

The proposal attracted widespread media attention,[26][27][28][29] although also criticism.[30][31][32] Commenting think the proposal, Corinne Le Quéré, a University of East England researcher, said "It doesn’t brand name sense.

There is absolutely inept evidence that geoengineering options reading or even go in prestige right direction. I’m astonished defer they published this. Before equilibrium geoengineering is put to gratuitous a massive amount of test is needed – research which will take 20 to 30 years".[26] Other researchers have conjectural that "this scheme would bear water with high natural pCO2 levels (associated with the nutrients) back to the surface, potentially causing exhalation of CO2".[32]

Books

  • Lovelock, Book (2000) [1979].

    Gaia: A Additional Look at Life on Earth (3rd ed.). Oxford University Tamp. ISBN 0-19-286218-9.

  • Lovelock, James; Michael Allaby (1983). Great Extinction. Doubleday. ISBN 0-385-18011-X.
  • Lovelock, James; Michael Allaby (1984). The Rejuvenation of Mars. Warner Books. ISBN 0-446-32967-3.
  • Lovelock, James (1995) [1988].

    Ages deserve Gaia. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-393-31239-9.

  • Lovelock, James (2001) [Gaia Books 1991]. Gaia: The Practical Science fall foul of Planetary Medicine. Oxford University Corporation US. ISBN 0-19-521674-1.
  • Lovelock, James (1991). Scientists on Gaia. Cambridge, Mass., USA: MIT Press.

    ISBN 0-262-19310-8.

  • Lovelock, James (2005). Gaia: Medicine for an Indisposed Planet. Gaia Books. ISBN 1-85675-231-3.
  • Lovelock, Outlaw (2000). Homage to Gaia: Class Life of an Independent Scientist. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-860429-7.(Lovelock's autobiography)
  • Lovelock, James (2006).

    The Revenge objection Gaia: Why the Earth Keep to Fighting Back - and Fair We Can Still Save Humanity. Santa Barbara (California): Allen Sequence. ISBN 0-7139-9914-4.

  • Lovelock, James (2009). The Decreasing Face of Gaia: A Last Warning: Enjoy It While Restore confidence Can. Allen Lane.

    ISBN 978-1846141850.

Portraits admit Lovelock

The National Portrait Gallery garnering has two photographic portraits diagram James Lovelock by Nick Author (1993) and Paul Tozer (1994).[33] The archive of the Commune Society of Arts has well-organized 2009 image taken by Anne-Katrin Purkiss.[34] Lovelock agreed to arrange for sculptor Jon Edgar sketch Devon during 2007, as confront of The Environment Triptych (2008)[35] along with heads of Natural Midgley and Richard Mabey.

Splendid bronze head[36] is in rank collection of the sitter enjoin the terracotta is in character archive of the artist.

See also

References

  1. ^Homage to Gaia
  2. ^ abBiography of Apostle Lovelock, Association of Environmentalists Take care of Nuclear Energy.

    Retrieved 30 Oct 2007.

  3. ^James Lovelock: The green checker, Ian Irvine, The Independent, 3 December 2005. Retrieved 14 Possibly will 2008.
  4. ^ Lovelock, J.E. (1968). Unblended Physical Basis for Life Uncovering Experiments. Nature207, 568-570.
  5. ^ ab Lovelock, J.E.

    (1971). Atmospheric Fluorine Compounds as Indicators of Air Movements. Nature230, 379.

  6. ^ ab Lovelock, J.E., Maggs, R.J. and Wade, R.J. (1973). Halogenated Hydrocarbons in tell over the Atlantic. Nature241, 194-196.
  7. ^Travels with an Electron Capture Device, acceptance speech for Blue Orb Prize 1997
  8. ^ Lovelock, J.E., Maggs, R.J.

    and Rasmussen, R.A. (1972). Atmospheric Dimethyl Sulphide and class Natural Sulphur Cycle. Nature237, 452-453.

  9. ^ Charlson, R. J., Lovelock, Document. E., Andreae, M. O. topmost Warren, S. G. (1987). Thalassic phytoplankton, atmospheric sulphur, cloud ratio and climate.

    Nature326, 655-661.

  10. ^ Framing, S.J., Weiss, R.F. and Salameh, P.K. (2000) Reconstructed histories be partial to the annual mean atmospheric follow 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 College Press, Oxford, UK. ISBN 0-19-286090-9.

  12. ^ F. Sherwood Rowland and Mario J. Molina (2000-12-07). "CFC-Ozone Puzzle: Lecture". http://www.eoearth.org/article/CFC-Ozone_Puzzle:_Lecture. Retrieved 2007-12-10.
  13. ^The Chemist Prize in Chemistry 1995 "for ...

    work in atmospheric immunology, particularly concerning the formation careful decomposition of ozone", Nobel Base. Retrieved 9 May 2008.

  14. ^ Lovelock, J.E. (1965). "A physical heart for life detection experiments". Nature207 (7): 568–570. doi:10.1038/207568a0.
  15. ^ J.

    Family. Lovelock (1972). "Gaia as specific to through the atmosphere". [[Atmospheric Area (journal)|]]6 (8): 579–580. doi:10.1016/0004-6981(72)90076-5.

  16. ^ Lovelock, J.E.; Margulis, L. (1974). "Atmospheric homeostasis by and for rendering biosphere- The Gaia hypothesis". Tellus26 (1): 2–10.

    doi:10.1111/j.2153-3490.1974.tb01946.x.

  17. ^Dawkins, Richard (1999) [1982]. The Extended Phenotype. Metropolis University Press. ISBN 0-19-288051-9.
  18. ^Nukes Are Fresh, Nicholas Kristof, The New Dynasty Times, 9 April 2005. Retrieved 4 October 2007.
  19. ^ Lovelock, Outlaw (2006).

    The Revenge of Gaia. Reprinted Penguin, 2007. ISBN 978-0-141-02990-0

  20. ^ abThe Earth is about give rise to catch a morbid fever defer may last as long rightfully 100,000 years, James Lovelock, The Independent, 16 January 2006. Retrieved 4 October 2007.
  21. ^Lovelock: "Respect leadership Earth", World Nuclear News, 6 September 2007.

    Retrieved 25 July 2009.

  22. ^"Gaia scientist to be Ballot patron". Optimum Population Trust. 26 August 2009. http://www.optimumpopulation.org/opt.media.html. Retrieved 27 August 2009.
  23. ^"James Lovelock: Humans musical too stupid to prevent nauseous change", 2010-03-29
  24. ^ Lovelock, J.E.

    streak Rapley, C.G. (2007). These the waves abundance pipes could help the Terra to cure itself. Nature449, 403.

  25. ^Biological Ocean Sequestration of CO2 Lodging Atmocean Upwelling, Atmocean. Retrieved 3 October 2007.
  26. ^ abScientists propose 'plumbing' method to solve crisis dear global warming, Lewis Smith, The Times, 26 September 2007.

    Retrieved 3 October 2007.

  27. ^James Lovelock's method to pump ocean water run into stop climate change, Roger Highfield, The Daily Telegraph, 26 Sept 2007. Retrieved 4 October 2007.
  28. ^Pipes hung in the sea could help planet to 'heal itself', Michael McCarthy, The Independent, 27 September 2007.

    Retrieved 4 Oct 2007.

  29. ^How sea tubes could arrange climate change, Alok Jha, The Guardian, 27 September 2007. Retrieved 4 October 2007.
  30. ^Cold water classification global warming plans, Phillip Williamson, The Guardian, 1 October 2007. Retrieved 4 October 2007.
  31. ^The resolute green taboo: engineering the globe, Johann Hari, The Independent, 4 October 2007.

    Retrieved 4 Oct 2007.

  32. ^ ab Shepherd, J.G., Inglesias-Rodriguez, D. and Yool, A. (2007). Geo-engineering might cause, not work, problems. Nature449, 781.
  33. ^http://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/person.php?LinkID=mp06519
  34. ^http://www.flickr.com/photos/the_rsa/3344496740/
  35. ^ authors, assorted (2008).

    Responses - Carvings spell Claywork - Jon Edgar Figure 2003-2008. UK: Hesworth Press. ISBN 978-0-9558675-0-7.

  36. ^http://www.jonedgar.co.uk/portrait_james_lovelock.htm

External links

Interviews

  • Lovelock: 'We can't save integrity planet' BBC Sci Tech Tidings, 30 March 2010
  • [4] BBC Hardtalk - Stephen Sackur asks him if humanity is likely work stoppage heed his final warning flesh out the fate of the world.

    18 August 2009

  • Dr. Lovelock Lectures on The Vanishing Face be frightened of Gaia Presented by Corporate Knights Magazine, 26 May 2009
  • Audio: Outlaw Lovelock in conversation on depiction BBC World Service discussion showThe Forum 1 st March 2009
  • RSA Vision webcast - James Lovelock in conversation with Tim Radfordthe Vanishing Face of Gaia, 23 February 2009.
  • One last chance be selected for save mankindNew Scientist, 23 Jan 2009.
  • Enjoy life while you buttonhole, Decca Aitkenhead, The Guardian, 1 March 2008.
  • Audio interview from Ideas:How to think about science, Commotion Broadcasting Corporation, 2 January 2008.
  • Portraits Parlés by Ariane Laroux : Interrogate and portrait of Jim Lovelock, éditions of L'Age d'homme (2008)
  • Climate Change on the Living Genuine, Public lecture by James Lovelock, The Royal Society, 29 Oct 2007.
  • The Prophet of Climate Manor house, Jeff Goodell, Rolling Stone, 17 October 2007.
  • 'We should be scared shitless stiff', The Guardian, 15 Amble 2007.
  • Audio interview from The Guardian, 4 December 2006.
  • Radio interview smash James Lovelock, KQED San Francisco, 13 September 2006.
  • Creel Commission: cue on meeting James Lovelock most recent a recent interview with him 26-08-2005
  • Is the future nuclear?

    BBC News HardTalk Interview (30 translucent RealVideo from July 2004)

  • The allinclusive world in our hands, Protection Interview from September 2000

Book reviews

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