6 Quotes by Colin Tudge

Scientists study only those aspects of the universe that it is within their gift to study: what is observable; what is measurable and amenable to statistical analysis; and, indeed, what they can afford to study within the means and time available. Science thus emerges as a giant tautology, a "closed system". It can present us with robust answers only because its practitioners take very great care to tailor the questions.

GMOs could really land us in trouble.

Trees are good for contemplation: Plato and Aristotle did their best thinking in the groves of olives and figs around Athens, and Buddha found enlightenment beneath a peepul tree.

Trees are right at the heart of all the necessary debates: ecological, social, economic, political, moral, religious.

I cannot significantly improve on the assertion that it simply is proper for us, as intelligent members of the universe, to try to look after our fellow creatures, and evil for us to do otherwise.

In recent years, too – in fact since 2001 – American meteorologists in particular have realized that over the past few decades the full effects of global warming have been masked by ‘global dimming’. It transpires that atmospheric pollution by particles – variations on a theme of soot – has been reducing the energy input from the sun by an astonishing 30 per cent. The world, currently, is cleaning up the soot – which, technically, is fairly easy to do. Catalytic.