The Science of a Sunset: Unlocking the Secrets of Our Atmosphere

Many of us have enjoyed a colorful twilight or a stunning sunset. But how often do we think about the science behind these memorable conditions? Forrest Mims has been measuring the Earth's atmosphere for more than 30 years. On this episode of ID the Future, Mims shares with us some of the secrets he's learned from his long-term research. Mims has forged a distinguished scientific career despite having no academic training in science. He is an instrument designer, science writer, and independent science consultant. Mims has published over 60 books, including his latest: Maverick Scientist: My Adventures as an Amateur Scientist.

Mims kicks off this discussion with a brief refresher about the five different layers of Earth's atmosphere and what got him interested in twilight science. He goes on to explain how he built his own twilight photometer and how he uses it to detect aerosols, ozone, forest fire, and volcano emissions, and even dust and smoke from meteors. He also recalls the story of how he corrected NASA's own atmospheric measurements with homemade instruments, a fascinating chapter in his career that led to further opportunities to work for NASA. Mims concludes with some pointers on how to build your own homemade twilight photometer. Because as Mims reminds us, to be a scientist, you just have to do science! Find and listen to the podcast here.