James E. Hansen

American climatologist (1941-) · United States · On the map · Scientists

James Edward Hansen is an American climatologist. He is an adjunct professor directing the Program on Climate Science, Awareness and Solutions at Columbia University.

James E. Hansen is read about 95 times a day, in 28 languages.

A typical day, 30 days to 6 November 2026

The middle day of the days counted, so one week of news cannot move it. The line under it is the last 104 days, one point a day.

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A life in dates

2016BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge AwardAward2013NASA Distinguished Service MedalAward2012Edinburgh MedalAward2010Blue Planet PrizeAwardSophie PrizeAward2009Carl-Gustaf Rossby Research MedalAward2008Nevada MedalAwardSierra Club John Muir AwardAward2007AAAS Award for Scientific Freedom and ResponsibilityAwardDan David PrizeAwardLeo Szilard Lectureship AwardAward2006Duke of Edinburgh Conservation AwardAward2001Heinz AwardAwardRoger Revelle MedalAward1941Born29 March 1941

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James A. Van Allen Influenced James

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Photos 9

Venus is surrounded by a thick atmosphere composed mainly of carbon dioxide and nitrogen, and its clouds are sulfuric acid. The thickness of the atmosphere initially made it difficult to determine why the surface was so hot.

A typical automated airport weather station which records the routine hourly weather observations of temperature, weather type, wind, sky condition, and visibility. These surface stations are located around the world, and are used to derive a global temperature.

The incomplete combustion of biomass during the Yellowstone fires of 1988 near the Snake River introduced a large quantity of black carbon particles into the atmosphere.

Hansen has warned that low-lying coastal areas such as Florida (seen here), East Anglia, the Netherlands, oceanic islands and Bangladesh are vulnerable to sea levels rising.[49]

A comparison of global surface temperature computed for three scenarios and compared with two analysis of observational data

Hansen giving testimony before the United States Congress in 1988

Estimated climate forcings between 1850 and 2000

Awards

BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award2016

NASA Distinguished Service Medal2013

Edinburgh Medal2012

Sophie Prize2010

Blue Planet Prize2010

Carl-Gustaf Rossby Research Medal2009

Nierenberg Prize2008

Sierra Club John Muir Award2008

Nevada Medal2008

AAAS Award for Scientific Freedom and Responsibility2007

Dan David Prize2007

Leo Szilard Lectureship Award2007

Duke of Edinburgh Conservation Award2006

Heinz Award2001

Roger Revelle Medal2001

About this person

He is best known for his research in climatology, his 1988 Congressional testimony on climate change that helped raise broad awareness of global warming, and his advocacy of action to avoid dangerous climate change. In recent years, he has become a climate activist to mitigate the effects of global warming, on a few occasions leading to his arrest.

Country

United States