Probing the mysteries of our climate is Lonnie Thompson’s passion. Thompson has trekked the globe in search of evidence – ice – to prove that the earth is warming.rnrnHis research has taken him to some of the highest, most hostile environments — from the Himalayas to the Andes to Kilimanjaro – where Thompson has extracted core samples that reveal a history of the earth’s changing climate. rnrnRolling Stone magazine, in a 2005 profile, said “Lonnie Thompson has spent more time above 18,000 feet than any other person on Earth.’’rnrnThe core samples have enabled Thompson to put together a record of the earth’s temperatures dating back hundreds of thousands of years. Along the way, Thompson has been involved in the development of lightweight, solar-powered drilling equipment to pull those core samples from the ice.rnrnThompson earned a doctorate in geological sciences from Ohio State University in 1976. He has led more than 60 research expeditions in the ensuing years and has held a number of teaching and research positions at the university. Since 2002 he has been senior research scientist at the university’s Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center.rnrnBy Robert Warrren

Coffee Break with Shirley Ann Jackson
Five questions for Shirley Ann Jackson from MIT students…