Environmental scientist James Lovelock dies on his 103rd birthday

Environmental scientist James Lovelock, who proposed the Gaia hypothesis, has died on his 103rd birthday. He died at home on Tuesday, his family said. Lovelock was one of the UK’s most respected independent scientists. From the mid-1960s, he was alone in his laboratory conducting various experiments and making weather predictions. James Lovelock argued that the Earth is in danger because society is not becoming more civilized and responsible with time. According to The Guardian, he was still working well into his 100s and was in good health until six months ago.

Lovelock’s family said: “Our beloved James Lovelock passed away yesterday on his 103rd birthday as his family gathered. He was known to the world as an environmental scientist, weather forecaster and creator of the Gaia hypothesis. But to us he was a loving husband and a father with a boundless sense of curiosity, a witty sense of humor and a passion for nature.”

“Until six months ago, he was in good health. He was able to walk along the coast near his home in Dorset, even taking part in interviews, but his health deteriorated earlier this year. He passed away at 9.55 pm on Tuesday due to some physical complications. His funeral will be held privately in the presence of close relatives, followed by a public memorial. His family members have requested that the privacy of the family should be preserved at this time of grief.

During World War II, Lovelock conducted research on the rapid healing of burns caused by explosives. He used ECD in 1971 to show that nearly all the CFC compounds produced after their discovery in the 1930s were still present and increasing in the global atmosphere. Using this observation, scientists Molina and Rowland in 1974 demonstrated the connection between CFC gases and depletion of the Earth’s ozone layer. This discovery led to the banning of CFC production in the western world. His presentation of ‘Gaia hypothesis’ was published.