Distillations | Science History Institute Whatever Happened to Acid Rain?
May 22, 2018
Gene Likens, ecologist who discovered and tracked acid rain at Hubbard Brook, reflects on decades of research and controversy. He recounts how transboundary pollution was traced to smokestacks, the media’s role in making the crisis visible, industry pushback and personal attacks, and the political battles that led to eventual regulatory fixes.
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Acid Rain Came From Distant Smokestacks
- Gene Likens traced acidic rain in the U.S. to regional pollution from Midwest smokestacks, showing pollution can travel hundreds of miles.
- His 1974 Science paper linked coal-burning sulfur and nitrogen oxides to acidified lakes in the Northeast, not just local sources.
Hubbard Brook Discovery Felt Like A Medical Diagnosis
- Gene Likens described discovering acid rain when his very first rain sample was roughly 100 times more acidic than expected.
- He compared ecosystem monitoring to a physician using blood chemistry to diagnose a patient at Hubbard Brook.
Overnight Train Conversation Sparked A Global Link
- Likens connected with Swedish scientist Svante Odén on an overnight train, which clarified that Scandinavian acid rain came from industrial Europe.
- That conversation helped Likens see the broader transboundary nature of the problem.
