Iben Browning American climatologist and author Date of Birth: 09.01.1918 Country: USA

Biography of Iben Browning

Iben Browning was an American climatologist and author known for his wide range of interests and career in offering new and sometimes unconventional ideas. He was born on January 9, 1918, in Edna, Texas, and grew up in Jackson County, Texas. Browning graduated from Southwest Texas State Teachers College with a major in Mathematics and Physics in 1937.

During World War II, Browning served in the United States Army Air Corps. After the war, he earned a master's degree from the University of Texas at Austin in 1947 and later a Ph.D. in the same institution. While working on his doctoral dissertation, Browning chose to study the field of zoology, along with genetics and bacteriology. He worked in various scientific fields, including artificial intelligence and bioengineering, before developing a keen interest in weather forecasting and long-term climate changes.

Browning believed that climate fluctuations were caused by changes in the amount of solid particles in the atmosphere, with volcanic activity being the primary source of such changes. He theorized that volcanic eruptions could be triggered by tidal forces exerted by the Earth, Moon, and the elliptical orbit of the Earth around the Sun. Browning's climate predictions were based on the process of dust being ejected into the atmosphere during volcanic eruptions, which reflected sunlight and resulted in cooling climate changes.

According to Browning, climate changes, particularly heat absorption, had a significant impact on the stability of human society, including the occurrence of famine, revolutions, and wars. He documented his climate theories and conclusions in the book "Climate and the Affairs of Men," which he co-authored with Nelson Winkless III in 1975. Browning argued that the Earth had transitioned from a prolonged period of warm climate to a dangerous phase of surface cooling. He also claimed that he found no evidence of human activity affecting climate.

Browning gained prominence for an erroneous prediction he made. He forecasted a major earthquake that was supposed to occur in the New Madrid seismic zone on December 2 or 3, 1990. This prediction received significant media coverage and caused serious concern among residents of the Mississippi Valley. However, no earthquakes occurred in the area during the dates Browning had specified. Despite this, Browning authored four books and held around 90 patents. He worked as a climatologist and business consultant for the consulting firm Paine Webber in various scientific and technical fields.

Browning was married to Florence Printo, and they had one daughter named Evelyn. In his later years, he resided in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he passed away in his home on July 18, 1991, at the age of 74 due to a heart attack.