My Atmospheric Science Adventures at Mauna Loa Observatory
Most people know Hawaii is famous for its beaches. But did you know it’s also home to one of the world’s leading stations for monitoring the atmosphere? On this ID The Future, self-taught citizen scientist Forrest Mims talks to host Andrew McDiarmid about the history and significance of the world-famous Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii. He also shares some of his own experiences and adventures there over the last quarter century.
In this episode, Mims reminds us of his dust-up with Scientific American, a controversy that would ultimately launch his career as an atmospheric scientist. He introduces us to some of the pioneering explorers and scientists who set the stage for atmospheric science in Hawaii, including Archibald Menzies, Charles Wilkes, and Robert Simpson. Mims recounts some of his experiences on location at the remote observatory, from technical difficulties with world-class instruments to unexpected guests who left an impression on him, like a possible sighting of the legendary Madame Pele, Hawaii’s volcano goddess. Mims rounds out the conversation by discussing the qualities that successful scientists share, from courage and determination to the ability to effectively safeguard valuable scientific records.
Dig Deeper
- Mim’s Mauna Loa Observatory adventures are just one fascinating chapter of his long career as a citizen scientist. He describes many other adventures in science in his recent memoir Maverick Scientist: My Adventures As An Amateur Scientist.
- Mims literally wrote the book on the history of the Mauna Loa Observatory. He tells the story of the storied institution’s first fifty years in a 2011 book published by University of Hawaii Press.
- Listen to more of our conversations with Forrest Mims: