Homage to Gaia Read Online Free

more special kinds of scientific meeting in a recognized scientific venue. And this is how we spent his gift.
    I am indebted to Sir John Cornforth and Mr John Lane for their thoughtful criticisms of the first edition of this book.

List of Abbreviations
    ALE
  
Atmospheric Long-range Experiments
CFC
 
chlorofluorocarbon
CMS
 
Chemical Manufacturers’ Association
CO
 
carbon monoxide/conscientious objector
CCN
 
cloud condensation nuclei
DMS
 
dimethyl sulphide
ECD
 
Electron Capture Detector
ECG
 
Electrocardiogram
FAA
 
Federal Aviation Authority
GC
 
gas chromatograph
HP
 
Hewlett Packard
IMER
 
Institute for Marine Environmental Research
JPL
 
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
MBA
 
Marine Biological Association
MRC
 
Medical Research Council
NASA
 
National Aeronautical and Space Administration
NCAR
 
National Centre for Atmospheric Research
NERC
 
Natural Environment Research Council
NIH
 
National Institute for Health (US)
NIMR
 
National Institute for Medical Research
NOAA
 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
PCB
 
polychlorinated biphenyl
UNU
 
United Nations University

Introduction
    We were enjoying our tea break in a warm cedar-panelled room with a view down the valley to the next village, Broadchalke. Suddenly and rudely as ever, the telephone rang its strident, insistent call. No one expected Helen, my first wife, to answer it—multiple sclerosis had already disabled her. I hate telephones and always wait for someone else to pick them up. Peggy Coombs—the lady from the village who helped Helen, and who came from the Welsh valleys where they are properly outspoken—burst out, ‘Does no one in this house answer the phone?’ and dashed to still its clamour. ‘Hello. What do you want?’ asked Peggy informatively. ‘I want to speak to Dr Lovelock,’ said the disembodied voice. Peggy replied disdainfully, ‘He’s not a proper doctor but I’ll get him for you.’ The caller was a professor from a distant university who wanted me to lecture on the possibility of life on Mars. For once, thanks to Peggy, I had had time to prepare my mind and say no.
    Peggy was right. I am not a proper doctor. To her and to most of us, a proper doctor is one qualified in medicine. Someone who treats the sick and who she regards with the respect earlier generations gave to the priest. A DSc was not enough to justify the title ‘Doctor’. More than this, my solitary practice in Bowerchalke spread across the sciences ranging from Astronomy to Zoology. How could anyone so divided be a proper doctor of science? For a moment, my self-doubting nature made me think of other impostor doctors like the Vicar of Unworthy in Devon, the Reverend Fiddle, DD.
    When I set my heart towards independent science, I had no intention whatever of becoming a professional chemist and consultant.That is a good and proper way of life but it was not for me. Science was and is my passion and I wanted to be free to do it unfettered by direction from anyone, not even by the mild constraints of a university department or an institute of science. Any artist or novelist would understand—some of us do not produce their best when directed. We expect the artist, the novelist and the composer to lead solitary lives, often working at home. While a few of these creative individuals exist in institutions or universities, the idea of a majority of established novelists or painters working at the ‘National Institute for Painting and Fine Art’ or a university ‘Department of Creative Composition’ seems mildly amusing. By contrast, alarm greets the idea of a creative scientist working at home. A lone scientist is as unusual as a solitary termite and regarded as irresponsible or worse.
    In the early 1970s, New Scientist published a review of a book on Darwin’s life. The reviewer claimed the book confirmed his view that our most distinguished biologist was insane. He argued that anyone with Darwin’s reputation who chose to bury