Charles Keeling had a team at Mauna Loa Observatory taking twice-daily samples of the air since 1958, specifically to test for CO2. As you can imagine, this was was done by a dude bringing a jar out, holding their breath, opening the jar, waving it around, putting back on the lid, then resuming their breathing. Every day, twice a day.

The technology for testing these samples for the different isotopes and exact measurements that are actually useful was invented and brought to the island in 1978.

Let that sink on. They collected jars of air for 20 years before they actually had a way to test them properly, and did it every day, twice a day.

All good scientists are mad scientists, the crazier, the better.

Hyzenthlay87:

The mental image is sort of adorable 🤣