The Sunday Read: ‘The Amateur Cloud Society That (Sort Of) Rattled the Scientific Community’

Podcast Summary

• Discovering the beauty of clouds leads to a community: Indulging in trivial pursuits can lead to meaningful connections and experiences, as shown by the Cloud Appreciation Society's growth from a small group to a large community.

  The seemingly trivial or insignificant things in life, such as clouds, can bring people together and lead to unexpected discoveries. Gavin Preterpinney, a man in search of beauty and awe, founded the Cloud Appreciation Society as a way to share his love for clouds with others. What started as a whimsical idea grew into a community of over 50,000 members and contributed to the scientific understanding of clouds. The story of the Cloud Appreciation Society serves as a reminder that indulging in trivial pursuits can lead to meaningful connections and experiences. It's important to find joy in the little things and to appreciate the world around us, as Gavin did with the clouds.

• Appreciating the beauty of clouds: Finding joy in simple things can enrich our lives and help us see the world in a new light, leading to unexpected success and community building.

  Peter Pini's fascination with clouds led him to appreciate the beauty and wonder in the world around him, and inspired him to create the Cloud Appreciation Society. Despite the seemingly frivolous nature of his obsession, he discovered that finding joy in simple things can enrich our lives and help us see the world in a new light. At a time when people were becoming desensitized to novelty and amazement due to the constant barrage of information and entertainment on the internet, Pini's society offered a reminder to slow down and appreciate the beauty of clouds. The society's unexpected success demonstrated the power of community and shared passion, and ultimately led Pini to publish a book about clouds that resonated with thousands of people.

• Appreciating Clouds with The Cloud Appreciation Society: The Cloud Appreciation Society leveraged the Internet to spread appreciation for clouds, bringing people together around a shared interest and enabling more nuanced cloud classification

  The Cloud Appreciation Society, founded by Gavin Pretor-Pinney, gained significant popularity by encouraging people to appreciate the beauty of clouds. The society's message resonated with people, leading to numerous write-ups, clicks, and new members. However, the society was often dismissed as a mere online curiosity. Despite this, Pretor-Pinney saw the value in the Internet's ability to spread his message far and wide. He also noticed an unusual cloud formation, which he named "Aspiratus," and realized that the global network of individuals allowed him to identify patterns and classify clouds in a more nuanced way. The society's success showcases the power of the Internet to bring people together around a shared interest and to help identify and appreciate the unique and beautiful aspects of the natural world.

• Clouds: More Than Just Water in the Sky: Clouds hold deep symbolic and emotional significance for humans, inspiring awe, wonder, and creativity, while also being subjects of scientific study and classification

  Clouds are more than just water in the sky; they hold deep symbolic and emotional significance for humans. While the scientific community is discerning when it comes to recognizing and naming new cloud types, clouds have long been sources of inspiration, imagination, and even portents throughout history. From ancient civilizations interpreting cloud formations as omens, to children seeing shapes in the sky, to Hamlet's Polonius agreeing to whatever Hamlet sees, clouds have played a role in shaping our thoughts and emotions. The scientific study of clouds, which began with amateur enthusiasts, has always grappled with the tension between empirical knowledge and the romantic impulse to preserve the magic and mystery of clouds. Luke Howard, a Quaker pharmacist, is considered the father of meteorology for his foundational work on cloud classification. Clouds exist in a realm where the physical and metaphysical touch, and they continue to inspire awe, wonder, and creativity in us.

• Discovering the Science of Clouds: Through dedicated observations and analyses, Howard and Abercrombie identified distinct cloud types and forms, paving the way for empiricism in meteorology and a better understanding of the atmosphere.

  The study of clouds, once considered a mere pastime, evolved into a scientific discipline through the dedicated observations and analyses of individuals like Howard and Abercrombie. Their passion for clouds led them to identify distinct cloud types and forms, contributing to a better understanding of the atmosphere and the world around us. Their work paved the way for empiricism in meteorology, challenging superstition and religion with a scientific approach. Abercrombie's travels around the world further demonstrated the universality of clouds, emphasizing our shared connection to the natural world. Their legacies continue to influence meteorology and our appreciation for the beauty and significance of clouds.

• A Cloud Classification Revolution: The Story of 'Aspiratus': The WMO's Cloud Atlas meticulously categorizes clouds, but a proposed new variety, 'Aspiratus,' was demoted to a supplementary feature due to its lack of operational significance, highlighting the human fascination with classification and naming.

  The World Meteorological Organization's (WMO) Cloud Atlas, now in its 7th edition, meticulously categorizes clouds with various genera, species, varieties, and supplementary features. The Atlas establishes a grammar to describe the instability and morphing of clouds. However, not all clouds need precise descriptions, and the WMO does not concern itself with settling disagreements about non-operational clouds. When Peterpinay proposed adding "Aspiratus" as a cloud variety, the media hyped it as a populist meteorological revolt. However, the WMO demoted it to a supplementary feature named "asperitas," causing some disappointment for Peterpinay. Despite having no operational significance, the public enthusiasm for asperitas forced the WMO to acknowledge it, emphasizing the human vanity in the Victorian urge to classify and name things.

• Celebrating the Beauty and Significance of Clouds: The Cloud Appreciation Society, founded by Peter Pinney, started as a simple appreciation for clouds but grew into a global community and a purposeful enterprise, inspiring people to look up and marvel at the ephemeral beauty of clouds and bringing back the sense of delight and wonder in the study of natural phenomena.

  The Cloud Appreciation Society, led by Peter Pinney, started as a simple appreciation for clouds but grew into a global community and a purposeful enterprise. Pinney, inspired by the ephemeral beauty of clouds, wanted to encourage people to look up and marvel at them. However, he lamented that the scientific study of clouds had become too rigid and reductive, and he aimed to bring back the sense of delight and wonder. Pinney's championing of the cloud form Asperatus was arbitrary, but it sparked a cultural conversation about the significance of clouds and the role of amateur enthusiasts in shaping our understanding of natural phenomena. Despite initial excitement, the impact of the Cloud Appreciation Society seemed to fizzle out, and Pinney himself questioned his commitment to it as it grew into a demanding enterprise. Yet, he recognized the value of the community he had created and the potential for bringing people together to celebrate the beauty of clouds. The society's 10th anniversary provided an opportunity to do just that, and Pinney organized a one-day conference to celebrate the Cloud Appreciation Society's impact and legacy.

• Unexpected power of connection through shared interests: The beauty of clouds brought diverse individuals together, creating a comfortable atmosphere of connection and empathy.

  Learning from the cloud conference experience is the unexpected power of connection and shared interests in bringing people together. Amidst the anticipation of running out of marshmallows and the impeccable London sky, Treeter Penny welcomed a diverse group of individuals, all united by their fascination with clouds. The conference transcended the mundane through moments of vulnerability, such as Lisa Knapp's performance of "Both Sides Now," which evoked a sense of awe and empathy towards fellow attendees. The shared appreciation for the beauty of clouds created an atmosphere of comfort and connection, reminding us that we are all part of the same sky, living within it rather than beneath it. This experience underscores the importance of staying open to various forms of beauty and the profound impact they can have on our emotions and understanding of others.

• A shared emotional experience connects us all: Understanding and acknowledging our shared emotional experiences can foster deeper connections among people

  Despite our differences, we are all human beings, capable of experiencing strong emotions. The anecdote shared by Autumn, an app user, highlights this truth in a powerful way. During a talk, many people in the audience, including Peterpinney's wife and the woman next to Autumn, were moved to tears. The cause of their tears remained a mystery to them, but the shared experience brought them closer together. In the days that followed, Autumn tried to explain the incident to a friend, likening the audience to clouds, expressing the same basic currents of emotion. While the description may have sounded fluffy or stoned, the sentiment remains. We are all expressions of the same fundamental emotions, and it's essential to remember that humanity connects us all.