Our Biggest Experiment

Our Biggest Experiment traces the long history of climate change awareness and scientific understanding from the Industrial Revolution to the present day. The book examines how humans first began to notice environmental changes and gradually came to understand their own role in altering Earth's climate systems. Bell chronicles the key figures, discoveries, and technological developments that shaped our knowledge of climate science. She connects the dots between early coal burning, the rise of atmospheric monitoring, and the eventual emergence of modern climate research. The narrative follows both scientific progress and societal responses, including the growth of environmental movements and the emergence of climate change as a global concern. The text examines the complex interplay between industrial development, scientific advancement, and environmental awareness across multiple centuries. This comprehensive history reveals how climate change understanding evolved from isolated observations into a defining challenge of our time. The book frames the climate crisis as the result of centuries of cumulative human choices and actions, rather than a sudden contemporary phenomenon.

Readers appreciate Bell's thorough research and engaging writing style in tracing the history of climate science and human understanding of global warming. Many note her ability to weave together scientific developments with social and cultural context. Readers found value in: - Clear explanations of complex topics - Personal stories and historical anecdotes - Global perspective beyond Western narratives - Accessible tone for non-scientific readers Common criticisms: - Narrative sometimes meanders - Too much focus on British history - Could be more concise - Limited discussion of current solutions Ratings: Goodreads: 4.3/5 (89 ratings) Amazon UK: 4.5/5 (31 ratings) Amazon US: 4.4/5 (12 ratings) Sample review: "Bell has a gift for finding the human stories behind the science. The book's scope is impressive but occasionally overwhelming." - Goodreads reviewer Multiple readers noted the book works better as a reference than a cover-to-cover read.

The Discovery of Global Warming by Spencer R. Weart A history of climate science that charts the emergence of research techniques and computer modeling which enabled scientists to identify anthropogenic climate change.

Energy and Civilization: A History by Vaclav Smil A deep examination of how human energy use has evolved throughout history, illuminating the relationship between power consumption and societal development.

Merchants of Doubt by Naomi Oreskes, Erik M. Conway An investigation into how certain scientists and institutions worked to create uncertainty about climate science and other environmental issues in the public mind.

Weather Makers by Tim Flannery A chronological account of climate change understanding that connects early atmospheric research to current climate modeling and predictions.

The Great Derangement by Amitav Ghosh An analysis of how culture and literature have grappled with climate change understanding, examining the intersection of science and society in environmental awareness.

🌍 The author, Alice Bell, is a climate campaigner and co-director at the climate charity Possible, bringing both academic expertise and hands-on environmental activism to her writing. ⚗️ The book's title references a quote from physicist Spencer Weart, who called climate change "the biggest experiment humans have ever conducted." 🌡️ Early climate science discoveries date back to the 1800s, when scientists like Eunice Foote and John Tyndall first demonstrated how certain gases could trap heat in Earth's atmosphere. 📊 The first systematic weather recording network was established in 1654 by Ferdinand II de Medici in Tuscany, using newly invented thermometers and barometers. 🏭 The Industrial Revolution marks a crucial turning point in the book's narrative, as it represents both the acceleration of climate change and the development of tools to measure it.