James E. Lovelock

(Letchworth, United Kingdom, 1919 – Abbotsbury, United Kingdom, 2022)

Scientist and inventor, pioneer of environmentalism. Especially known for the Gaia hypothesis, formulated in 1969, which states that the Earth acts as a self-regulating organism, which humans damage with their activities. He studied chemistry in Manchester and medicine in London, and then worked as a researcher. He is responsible for the improvement of the microwave oven and the electron capture detector, used to measure phenomena such as the ozone hole or air pollution. In 1961 he was recruited by NASA for a research program on possible life on Mars.

Throughout his life he received many awards, recognitions and distinctions: CIBA Foundation Award for Research in Aging (1955), NASA Certificates of Recognition: Gas Chromatograph Interface System and Method; Vapor Phase Detectors; Combined Carrier Gas Separator and Generator for Gas Chromatographic Systems (1972), Tswett Medal for Chromatography (1975), American Chemical Society's Award for Chromatography (1980), Stephen Dal Nogare Award (1985), Silver Medal and Prize of the Plymouth Marine Laboratory ( 1986), Norbert Gerbier Prize of the World Meteorological Association (1988), Amsterdam Prize for the Environment by the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (1990), Rosenstiel Award in Oceanographic Science (1990),
CBE – Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (1990), Nonino Prize (1996), Volvo Environment Prize (1996), Blue Planet Prize (1997), Goi Peace Prize (2000), Royal Geographic Society – Discovery Lifetime Award (2003), Companion of Honor (2003).