Kenneth J. Hsu
Encyclopedia
Kenneth J. Hsu Ph.D, M.A.
, born 28 June 1929, is a Swiss scientist, geologist, paleoclimatologist, oceanographer, government advisor, author, inventor and entrepreneur who was born in Nanjing
, China
.
Hsu (Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c.) studied at the Chinese National Central University
(later renamed Nanjing University
in mainland China
and reinstated in Taiwan
) (B.Sc. 1948), and came to the United States in 1948 where he studied at Ohio State University
(M.A., 1950), and at University of California, Los Angeles
, where he received his Ph.D in 1953.
Professional life
Hsu worked as a petroleum geologist and environmental engineer for the Shell Development Corporation (Houston), now called Shell Oil Company
, between 1954 and 1963. He also taught at U.S. universities (1963–67), before becoming Chairman of the Experimental Geology Department at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology
(ETH Zürich), in 1967, where he was Emeritus
Professor of Geology until 1994. Hsu started his business career after his retirement from teaching.
Professorships & lectureships
Hsu was a distinguished lecturer, guest or honorary professor in geology, climatology or oceanography at numerous renowned universities of the world, including Beijing, California (San Diego), Cambridge, Columbia, Florence, Harvard, London, Milan, M.I.T., Moscow, Nanjing, Naples, Ohio, Oxford, Paris, Princeton, Taipei, Tokyo, Toronto, Washington, Woods Hole, Yale etc.
After retirement in 1994, he was Guest Professor at the National Taiwan University (1994–95), Guest Professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Senior Fellow at the Berlin Institute of Advanced Studies (1995-56), Keck Professor at Colorado School of Mines, University Professor at Nanjing University, and University Professor at Beijing University of Geosciences.
Scientific work
Hsu served in numerous scientific organizations:
Editorships
Hsu was Editor and or Associate Editor of numerous journals including:
Institutional work
Hsu was elected a Member of the U. S. National Academy of Science in 1986. He later became a Foreign Associate. He was also an Associate of the Third-World Academy of Sciences, a Member of Academia Sinica (1988), the Mediterranean Academy of Sciences and several other academies of science. He was a founder of the European Geophysical Society and a founder of the science of paleooceanography. He convened the First International Conference of Paleoceanography and founded the journal Paleoceanography. Hsu also assisted in the founding of the Asian Association of Marine Geology. He also served for 11 years as President of the International Association of Sedimentologists. Hsu was the convener of the Third Workshop on Marine Geology of IUGS; the First Earth Science Colloquium of the European Science Foundation; several Dahlem Conferences of the Dahlem Foundation; and numerous symposia and workshops for IGP, ILP, IGCP, SCOR and JOIDE.
Advisory work
Hsu was a convener of numerous scientific conferences, founder of several scientific societies, and advisor to the governments of developing countries:
Scientific exploration
Hsu participated and led 5 deep-sea drilling cruises to the South Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Black Sea. He also led several international expeditions to Tibet, Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, South China, California Coast Ranges and the Swiss Alps, travelling to 80 countries for Earth Science.
Academic work
Hsu joined ETH Zürich in 1967 as an associate professor and built up 5 leading international laboratories in the fields of rock mechanics
(geophysics
), mass-spectrometry (isotope geochemistry
), Quaternary
research (paleoclimatology
), sedimentology
and tectonics
. During Hsu's 28 year tenure, 4 of the Geological Institute's staff received the Wollaston Medal
.
Political work
His co-organized a consortium of 15 European member states to join the International Ocean Drilling Program.
China work
Hsu successfully lobbied for the admission of the Chinese Geological Union to replace the Chinese Geological Society in Tapieh as a member of the International Union of Geological Sciences
and was a member of the first IUGS delegation to China. He served the Chinese Ministry of Geology and Mining in giving training programs for Sedimentology
(1979), Field Geology of Tibet
(1980) and Plate Tectonics
(1992). From 1983-1995, he assisted the Institute of Geology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences
with the completion of a project on plate tectonics and to publish a new Geological Atlas
of China.
Appreciation
Two Festschrift
symposia books, Controversies in Geology, and Paradoxes in Geology, were published by Hsu's colleagues on his 60th and 70th birthdays. In September 2009, his contributions to China and to science were acknowledged at a conference in Beijing, attended by dignitaries from government, industry and academia. He participated in the Earth Science Revolution of the 1960s, and is active in the field of evolutionary biology (symbiogenesis) with Lynn Margulis
, and in the reform of geological education and physics.
Affiliations
Awards
For his contributions to geology, Hsu received several medals and awards.
After his retirement, Hsu made several inventions in mining, oil, water and energy technology, and founded various companies including Tarim Resource Recycling Limited (UK, 2003); Kenneth Hsu IHC Technology & Development Limited (China, 2005) and Lazarus Energy International Limited (UK, 2007).
Inventions
Hsu was awarded 16 patents in mining, petroleum, water, carbon, energy and environment management, including the Hydro-Transistor and Integrated Hydrologic Circuit (IHC).
Hsu's technologies applied in China http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=239576 included:
Endorsements
After extensive research and development, Hsu's water technologies were unanamiously endorsed by an expert panel called by the Chinese State Counsellors' Office (Civilian Chief of Staff) of the Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao; and by Nobel Laureate Samuel Ting, and University of California Chancellor, Henry Yang, who both served on the Chinese Premiere's KHC Advisory Board.http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=239576
In 2000, Hsu combined the newly developed enhanced oil recovery techniques of hydro-fracturing and horizontal drilling, with water flooding, to invent a totally new process of residual oil recovery (ROR), called 3-dimensional fluid injection, to exploit residual oil. The method utilized water rather than carbon dioxide, although carbon dioxide can also be used in the process. Hsu suggested the technique could increase the recoverable petroleum reserve of the world by a factor of 50% or more. http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=241291
With the full support of the Chinese Prime Minister, Wen Jiabao, in February 2006, an Expert Panel called by former Petroleum Minister Dr Wang Tao, unanimously agreed Hsu's ROR invention was innovative, and should be tested and applied in China. In April 2006, PetroChina reported a successful test at the Changqing Oil Field (Northwest China), first discovered in 1907. Prior to the test, its annual production was about 10,000 tons. In 2006, this rose to 10 million tons, and in 2007, to 20 million tons.
Ventures
Hsu is active with institutions, organizations and corporations to apply the new technologies in China and internationally.
Consultancy
Hsu is President of the IHC Technology & Development Corporation (China), Senior Advisor and Chief Engineer to the Kenneth Hsu Institute for IHC Development (National Institute Of Earth Sciences, Beijing) and Director of the Center for Environmental & Health Engineering (Henan University, Kaifeng). His work on the link between nitrite in drinking water and cancer was documented in The Ecologist journal.
The Mediterranean Was A Desert, 1982
The book concerned Hsu's work deciphering the Messinian Salinity Crisis
and provided a first-hand account of one of the most significant deep-sea drilling cruises ever launched. The voyage, Leg 13 of the D/V Glomar Challenger, was undertaken in 1970 and led to the hypothesis that 5.5 million years ago, the Mediterranean was a desert. It documented the adventures of the oceanographic expedition and offered portraits of 'big' science and 'big' scientists at work, with human touches, as a memoir for historians of science.
The book was selected by Philip Morrison
of Scientific American
as one of the 100 most significant and influential books of science in the 20th century. A film was also made by PBS, based on the book.
Challenger At Sea, 1983
The book was an overview of the then current state of marine geology and a source book for the history of that science, and was used as a geology textbook for non-majors.
The Great Dying, 1986
The book described the circumstances leading to the discovery that the dinosaur extinction was triggered by a cometary impact. An inquiry into the nature of survival and extinction, it was published in 6 languages, selling over 170,000 copies worldwide, selling 28,000 copies in the United States between 1986 and 1988; 100,000 copies in Mainland China in 1989 and 40,000 copies in Taiwan. A popular newspaper in Taipei United Post featured The Great Dying in its weekly list of best-selling books list for more than a year, and it was chosen as a top non-fiction book of the year in August 1992. Originally intended to teach the public, the book was used as a textbook in the United States for its scientific method. A film was also made based on the book by ZDF.
In the book, Hsu marshalled "some of the most gripping and controversial geological discoveries of our time to blast Darwin’s claim and to shake the foundations of his evolutionary theory," showing evidence indicating a meteor collided with the Earth, 65 million years ago, leaving much of it uninhabitable, and warning that a similar event may threaten humanity in the future.
Klima Macht Geschichte, 2000
Klima Macht Geschichte presented a theory of climate and history, looking at future climate changes based on historical, archaeological and helio-biological evidence. It made the prediction of global cooling of the planet in the last decades of the 21st century, and the coming of a little ice age before 2500. The claim forecast was corroborated by scientists Khabibullo Abdusamatov
, Yuk Yung, John Cassey, Nigel Calder
, Henrik Svensmark
, Alexander Chizhevsky
and John D. Hamaker
http://www.remineralize.org. Orell Fussli Verlag http://www.books.ch published the book after an article about Hsu appeared in Bilanz Magazine http://www.www.bilanz.ch in 1998. Earlier, in 1992, Hsu wrote in Geographical Magazine, "Perhaps our species was created by Gaia to prevent a catastrophic chill" in reference to his published paper Is Gaia Endothermic?, on which the book is also based.
Amadeus & Magdalena, 2002
Published in Chinese, English and German, with a Chinese translation titled “莫扎特的愛與死”., the book presented Hsu's musicological theory about the death of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
.
Articles
Films
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
, born 28 June 1929, is a Swiss scientist, geologist, paleoclimatologist, oceanographer, government advisor, author, inventor and entrepreneur who was born in Nanjing
Nanjing
' is the capital of Jiangsu province in China and has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
.
Biography
EducationHsu (Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c.) studied at the Chinese National Central University
National Central University
National Central University is a national comprehensive university in Taiwan .National Central University was founded in 1915 and originated in 258 CE at Nanjing, China. After NCU in Nanjing was renamed Nanjing University in 1949, NCU was re-established in Taiwan in 1962...
(later renamed Nanjing University
Nanjing University
Nanjing University , or Nanking University, is one of the oldest and most prestigious institutions of higher learning in China...
in mainland China
Mainland China
Mainland China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term that refers to the area under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China . According to the Taipei-based Mainland Affairs Council, the term excludes the PRC Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and...
and reinstated in Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
) (B.Sc. 1948), and came to the United States in 1948 where he studied at Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
(M.A., 1950), and at University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
, where he received his Ph.D in 1953.
Professional life
Hsu worked as a petroleum geologist and environmental engineer for the Shell Development Corporation (Houston), now called Shell Oil Company
Shell Oil Company
Shell Oil Company is the United States-based subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell, a multinational oil company of Anglo Dutch origins, which is amongst the largest oil companies in the world. Approximately 22,000 Shell employees are based in the U.S. The head office in the U.S. is in Houston, Texas...
, between 1954 and 1963. He also taught at U.S. universities (1963–67), before becoming Chairman of the Experimental Geology Department at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology
ETH Zurich
The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich or ETH Zürich is an engineering, science, technology, mathematics and management university in the City of Zurich, Switzerland....
(ETH Zürich), in 1967, where he was Emeritus
Emeritus
Emeritus is a post-positive adjective that is used to designate a retired professor, bishop, or other professional or as a title. The female equivalent emerita is also sometimes used.-History:...
Professor of Geology until 1994. Hsu started his business career after his retirement from teaching.
Professorships & lectureships
Hsu was a distinguished lecturer, guest or honorary professor in geology, climatology or oceanography at numerous renowned universities of the world, including Beijing, California (San Diego), Cambridge, Columbia, Florence, Harvard, London, Milan, M.I.T., Moscow, Nanjing, Naples, Ohio, Oxford, Paris, Princeton, Taipei, Tokyo, Toronto, Washington, Woods Hole, Yale etc.
After retirement in 1994, he was Guest Professor at the National Taiwan University (1994–95), Guest Professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Senior Fellow at the Berlin Institute of Advanced Studies (1995-56), Keck Professor at Colorado School of Mines, University Professor at Nanjing University, and University Professor at Beijing University of Geosciences.
Scientific work
Hsu served in numerous scientific organizations:
- President and Past President of the International Association of Sedimentologists (IAS);
- General Secretary of the Alpine Mediterranean Working Group of the International Geodynamics Project (IGP);
- Chairman of the Paleoceaonography Working Group of the International Lithosphere Project (ILP);
- Leader of several projects of UNESCO’s International Geological Correlation Project (IGCP);
- Chairman of the International Commission of Marine Geology (1980–1989);
- Chairman of the Committee on Sedimentology of the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS);
- ex officio member of the Executive Committee of the Scientific Commission on Oceanographic Research (SCOR) (1980–1989);
- member of the Swiss Commission on UNESCO (1987–1990);
- International Union of the Geological Sciences (IUGS);
- Representative of the Geological Sciences at the IGBP/Global Change Program of the International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU) (1989–1992);
- ICSU member of the United Nations Expert Panel on Seabed Disposal of Radioactive Waste (1987–1988);
- Chairman of the Mediterranean Panel, South Atlantic Panel and Tectonics Panel of the Joint Oceanographic Institutions Deep Earth Study Program (JOIDES),
- Member of the Paleoceanography Panel and the JOIDES Planning Committee of the Ocean-Drilling Program.
Editorships
Hsu was Editor and or Associate Editor of numerous journals including:
- Sedimentology: Journal Of The International Association Of Sedimentologists (Founding Editor & Editor-in-Chief 1972-1979). UK: Blackwell Science.
- Journal of Sedimentary Petrography.
- Bulletin of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists.
- Geophysical Research Letters.
- Bulletin of the Japanese Geological Society.
- Tethys.
- Geologie Mediterrane.
Institutional work
Hsu was elected a Member of the U. S. National Academy of Science in 1986. He later became a Foreign Associate. He was also an Associate of the Third-World Academy of Sciences, a Member of Academia Sinica (1988), the Mediterranean Academy of Sciences and several other academies of science. He was a founder of the European Geophysical Society and a founder of the science of paleooceanography. He convened the First International Conference of Paleoceanography and founded the journal Paleoceanography. Hsu also assisted in the founding of the Asian Association of Marine Geology. He also served for 11 years as President of the International Association of Sedimentologists. Hsu was the convener of the Third Workshop on Marine Geology of IUGS; the First Earth Science Colloquium of the European Science Foundation; several Dahlem Conferences of the Dahlem Foundation; and numerous symposia and workshops for IGP, ILP, IGCP, SCOR and JOIDE.
Advisory work
Hsu was a convener of numerous scientific conferences, founder of several scientific societies, and advisor to the governments of developing countries:
- UNDP Advisor to Maltese Government (1973);
- UNDP Advisor to Chinese Government (1989);
- Advisor to Brazil Government on petroleum geologyPetroleum geologyPetroleum geology refers to the specific set of geological disciplines that are applied to the search for hydrocarbons .-Sedimentary basin analysis:...
; - Advisor to Argentina and Taiwan governments on lake research and global change;
- Advisor to the Chinese Ministry of Geology (1979–87);
- Consultant to the Chinese Ministry of Chemical Industry (1992–1996);
- Consultant to the Chinese Ministry of Petroleum Geology (1992–94);
- Consultant to the Taiwan Museum of Natural History (1995);
- Technical Advisor to the Taiwan National Science Foundation (1996–2000);
- External Examiner to the University of Malaysia.
- Consultant to the Chinese Ministry of Petroleum;
- Consultant to the Chinese Ministry of Geology and Mining;
- Consultant to the Chinese Institute of Geotechnical Investigation (Ministry of Construction).
Scientific exploration
Hsu participated and led 5 deep-sea drilling cruises to the South Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Black Sea. He also led several international expeditions to Tibet, Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, South China, California Coast Ranges and the Swiss Alps, travelling to 80 countries for Earth Science.
Academic work
Hsu joined ETH Zürich in 1967 as an associate professor and built up 5 leading international laboratories in the fields of rock mechanics
Rock mechanics
Rock mechanics is the theoretical and applied science of the mechanical behaviour of rock and rock masses;also compared to the geology, it is that branch of mechanics concerned with the response of rock and rock masses to the force fields of their physical environment.Rock mechanics itself forms...
(geophysics
Geophysics
Geophysics is the physics of the Earth and its environment in space; also the study of the Earth using quantitative physical methods. The term geophysics sometimes refers only to the geological applications: Earth's shape; its gravitational and magnetic fields; its internal structure and...
), mass-spectrometry (isotope geochemistry
Isotope geochemistry
Isotope geochemistry is an aspect of geology based upon study of the relative and absolute concentrations of the elements and their isotopes in the Earth. Variations in the abundance of these isotopes, typically measured with an isotope ratio mass spectrometer or an accelerator mass spectrometer,...
), Quaternary
Quaternary
The Quaternary Period is the most recent of the three periods of the Cenozoic Era in the geologic time scale of the ICS. It follows the Neogene Period, spanning 2.588 ± 0.005 million years ago to the present...
research (paleoclimatology
Paleoclimatology
Paleoclimatology is the study of changes in climate taken on the scale of the entire history of Earth. It uses a variety of proxy methods from the Earth and life sciences to obtain data previously preserved within rocks, sediments, ice sheets, tree rings, corals, shells and microfossils; it then...
), sedimentology
Sedimentology
Sedimentology encompasses the study of modern sediments such as sand, mud , and clay, and the processes that result in their deposition. Sedimentologists apply their understanding of modern processes to interpret geologic history through observations of sedimentary rocks and sedimentary...
and tectonics
Tectonics
Tectonics is a field of study within geology concerned generally with the structures within the lithosphere of the Earth and particularly with the forces and movements that have operated in a region to create these structures.Tectonics is concerned with the orogenies and tectonic development of...
. During Hsu's 28 year tenure, 4 of the Geological Institute's staff received the Wollaston Medal
Wollaston Medal
The Wollaston Medal is a scientific award for geology, the highest award granted by the Geological Society of London.The medal is named after William Hyde Wollaston, and was first awarded in 1831...
.
Political work
His co-organized a consortium of 15 European member states to join the International Ocean Drilling Program.
China work
Hsu successfully lobbied for the admission of the Chinese Geological Union to replace the Chinese Geological Society in Tapieh as a member of the International Union of Geological Sciences
International Union of Geological Sciences
The International Union of Geological Sciences is an international non-governmental organization devoted to international cooperation in the field of geology.-About:...
and was a member of the first IUGS delegation to China. He served the Chinese Ministry of Geology and Mining in giving training programs for Sedimentology
Sedimentology
Sedimentology encompasses the study of modern sediments such as sand, mud , and clay, and the processes that result in their deposition. Sedimentologists apply their understanding of modern processes to interpret geologic history through observations of sedimentary rocks and sedimentary...
(1979), Field Geology of Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
(1980) and Plate Tectonics
Plate tectonics
Plate tectonics is a scientific theory that describes the large scale motions of Earth's lithosphere...
(1992). From 1983-1995, he assisted the Institute of Geology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences
Chinese Academy of Sciences
The Chinese Academy of Sciences , formerly known as Academia Sinica, is the national academy for the natural sciences of the People's Republic of China. It is an institution of the State Council of China. It is headquartered in Beijing, with institutes all over the People's Republic of China...
with the completion of a project on plate tectonics and to publish a new Geological Atlas
Atlas
An atlas is a collection of maps; it is typically a map of Earth or a region of Earth, but there are atlases of the other planets in the Solar System. Atlases have traditionally been bound into book form, but today many atlases are in multimedia formats...
of China.
Appreciation
Two Festschrift
Festschrift
In academia, a Festschrift , is a book honoring a respected person, especially an academic, and presented during his or her lifetime. The term, borrowed from German, could be translated as celebration publication or celebratory writing...
symposia books, Controversies in Geology, and Paradoxes in Geology, were published by Hsu's colleagues on his 60th and 70th birthdays. In September 2009, his contributions to China and to science were acknowledged at a conference in Beijing, attended by dignitaries from government, industry and academia. He participated in the Earth Science Revolution of the 1960s, and is active in the field of evolutionary biology (symbiogenesis) with Lynn Margulis
Lynn Margulis
Lynn Margulis was an American biologist and University Professor in the Department of Geosciences at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She is best known for her theory on the origin of eukaryotic organelles, and her contributions to the endosymbiotic theory, which is now generally accepted...
, and in the reform of geological education and physics.
Affiliations
- Advisor, Chinese Natural Science Foundation.
- Alumni of the Century, Nanjing University (Gold Medal, University Centenary Celebration).
- Associate Fellow, Third World Academy of Sciences.
- Chair, International Marine Geology Commission, 1980-89.
- Chairman, Department of Earth Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology.
- Distinguished Alumnus, Ohio State University.
- Emeritus Professor, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology.
- First Distinguished Alumni Lecturer of Geology, UCLA.
- Guest Professor, National Taiwan University (1994–95).
- Guest Professor, Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
- Honorary Professor, University College London, April 2008.
- International Writer of the Year, International Book Club (Cambridge), 2003.
- Keck Professor, Colorado School of Mines.
- Member, National Academy of Sciences, Academy Sinica (Taiwan).
- Member, Mediterranean Academy of Sciences.
- Member & Foreign Associate, U.S. National Academy of Sciences, 1986.
- President, International Association of Sedimentologists, 1978-82.
- Senior Fellow, Institute of Advanced Studies, Berlin, 1995-96.
- University Professor, Nanjing University.
- University Professor, Beijing University of Geosciences.
Awards
For his contributions to geology, Hsu received several medals and awards.
- Wollaston MedalWollaston MedalThe Wollaston Medal is a scientific award for geology, the highest award granted by the Geological Society of London.The medal is named after William Hyde Wollaston, and was first awarded in 1831...
from The Geological Society of London (considered the highest honor in Geology, or an equivalent to the Nobel Prize in Geology) in 1984 (formerly presented to Charles LyellCharles LyellSir Charles Lyell, 1st Baronet, Kt FRS was a British lawyer and the foremost geologist of his day. He is best known as the author of Principles of Geology, which popularised James Hutton's concepts of uniformitarianism – the idea that the earth was shaped by slow-moving forces still in operation...
, Thomas Henry Huxley, Charles DarwinCharles DarwinCharles Robert Darwin FRS was an English naturalist. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestry, and proposed the scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection.He published his theory...
and James LovelockJames LovelockJames Lovelock, CH, CBE, FRS is an independent scientist, environmentalist and futurologist who lives in Devon, England. He is best known for proposing the Gaia hypothesis, which postulates that the biosphere is a self-regulating entity with the capacity to keep our planet healthy by controlling...
). - Penrose MedalPenrose MedalThe Penrose Medal was created in 1927 by R.A.F. Penrose, Jr. as the top prize awarded by the Geological Society of America to those who advance the study of geoscience.-Award winners:* 2011 Paul F. Hoffman* 2010 Eric J. Essene* 2009 B. Clark Burchfiel...
from The Geological Society of America in 2001 (the highest honor by the Society). - President's Special Award, American Association of Petroleum Geologists (resulting in Hsu being listed in Who's Who in Trade & Industry)
- Twenhofel MedalWilliam H. Twenhofel MedalThe William H. Twenhofel Medal is the highest award given by the Society for Sedimentary Geology . It is awarded annually to a person for his or her "Outstanding Contributions to Sedimentary Geology."...
from the Society of Sedimentary Geology in 1984 (the highest award of the Society of Sedimentary Geology). - Bownocker Medal (Orton Award), from the Geological Sciences Department of Ohio State University, 1984.http://library.osu.edu/sites/geology/Bownocker_History.php
Scientific contributions
In geology, his work included sedimentation in isostatically driven tectonic basins, the active margins of continental plates, physical chemistry of evaporite and pelagic diagenesis, documentation of granulite formation, catastrophic consequences of meteorite impacts, extinction of life forms and the limnology of Lake Zurich.Commercial activities
EnterpriseAfter his retirement, Hsu made several inventions in mining, oil, water and energy technology, and founded various companies including Tarim Resource Recycling Limited (UK, 2003); Kenneth Hsu IHC Technology & Development Limited (China, 2005) and Lazarus Energy International Limited (UK, 2007).
Inventions
Hsu was awarded 16 patents in mining, petroleum, water, carbon, energy and environment management, including the Hydro-Transistor and Integrated Hydrologic Circuit (IHC).
Hsu's technologies applied in China http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=239576 included:
- 3-D Enhanced Oil Recovery of the world's residual oil reserves;
- Lithium Production from brine lakes and sea water to empower hybrid vehicles;
- Water Availability by waste water recycling and rainwater harvesting to eliminate shortages;
- Nitrite-Free Drinking Water scientifically demonstrated to reduce the cancer mortality rate by half;
- Nitrite-Free Sewage-Treatment Works to denitritize the drinking water supply;
- Lake Rehabilitation by eliminating algal pollution through sequestering of carbon dioxide;
- Biofuel Generation by utilizing carbon dioxide emissions to mitigate the burning of fossil fuels;
- Capillary Irrigation to conserve water whilst reclaiming land without utilizing surface irrigation;
- Land Reclamation and Desert Greening by sequestering atmospheric carbon dioxide;
- Hydro-Electricity without building hydro-electric dams.
Endorsements
After extensive research and development, Hsu's water technologies were unanamiously endorsed by an expert panel called by the Chinese State Counsellors' Office (Civilian Chief of Staff) of the Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao; and by Nobel Laureate Samuel Ting, and University of California Chancellor, Henry Yang, who both served on the Chinese Premiere's KHC Advisory Board.http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=239576
In 2000, Hsu combined the newly developed enhanced oil recovery techniques of hydro-fracturing and horizontal drilling, with water flooding, to invent a totally new process of residual oil recovery (ROR), called 3-dimensional fluid injection, to exploit residual oil. The method utilized water rather than carbon dioxide, although carbon dioxide can also be used in the process. Hsu suggested the technique could increase the recoverable petroleum reserve of the world by a factor of 50% or more. http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=241291
With the full support of the Chinese Prime Minister, Wen Jiabao, in February 2006, an Expert Panel called by former Petroleum Minister Dr Wang Tao, unanimously agreed Hsu's ROR invention was innovative, and should be tested and applied in China. In April 2006, PetroChina reported a successful test at the Changqing Oil Field (Northwest China), first discovered in 1907. Prior to the test, its annual production was about 10,000 tons. In 2006, this rose to 10 million tons, and in 2007, to 20 million tons.
Ventures
Hsu is active with institutions, organizations and corporations to apply the new technologies in China and internationally.
Consultancy
Hsu is President of the IHC Technology & Development Corporation (China), Senior Advisor and Chief Engineer to the Kenneth Hsu Institute for IHC Development (National Institute Of Earth Sciences, Beijing) and Director of the Center for Environmental & Health Engineering (Henan University, Kaifeng). His work on the link between nitrite in drinking water and cancer was documented in The Ecologist journal.
Career timeline
- 1954-63 Research Geologist & Research Associate, Shell Development Corporation, Houston, Texas.
- 1963-64 Associate Professor, State University of New York, Binghamton, New York.
- 1964-67 Associate Professor, University of California, Riverside.
- 1967-94 Professor Emeritus, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETHC), Zurich.
- 1970-2000 Advisor, Governments of Argentina, Brazil, China, Malta & Taiwan.
- 1994 Chief Executive, Tarim Associates for Mineral & Oil Exploration AG, Switzerland.
- 1999 Chief Executive, Fengshui Water Technology Limited, Lichenstein.
- 2003 Chief Executive & Chairman Of the Board, Tarim Resource Recycling Limited, UK.
- 2005 President, Kenneth Hsu IHC Technology & Development Corporation, Beijing, China.
- 2007 Chief Executive, Lazarus Oil International, UK.
- 2007 Director, Kenneth Hsu Consulting, UK.
- 2007 Chief Engineer & Senior Advisor, Institute for IHC Development, National Institute Of Earth Sciences, Beijing, China.
- 2007 Director, Center for Environmental & Health Engineering, Henan University, Kaifeng, China.
Notable writings
Hsu authored or edited over 20 books, many in multiple languages, and was elected an International Writer of the Year by the International Book Club (Cambridge, UK) in 2003.The Mediterranean Was A Desert, 1982
The book concerned Hsu's work deciphering the Messinian Salinity Crisis
Messinian salinity crisis
The Messinian Salinity Crisis, also referred to as the Messinian Event, and in its latest stage as the Lago Mare event, was a geological event during which the Mediterranean Sea went into a cycle of partly or nearly complete desiccation throughout the latter part of the Messinian age of the Miocene...
and provided a first-hand account of one of the most significant deep-sea drilling cruises ever launched. The voyage, Leg 13 of the D/V Glomar Challenger, was undertaken in 1970 and led to the hypothesis that 5.5 million years ago, the Mediterranean was a desert. It documented the adventures of the oceanographic expedition and offered portraits of 'big' science and 'big' scientists at work, with human touches, as a memoir for historians of science.
The book was selected by Philip Morrison
Philip Morrison
Philip Morrison, was Institute Professor Emeritus and Professor of Physics Emeritus at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology .-Early life and education:...
of Scientific American
Scientific American
Scientific American is a popular science magazine. It is notable for its long history of presenting science monthly to an educated but not necessarily scientific public, through its careful attention to the clarity of its text as well as the quality of its specially commissioned color graphics...
as one of the 100 most significant and influential books of science in the 20th century. A film was also made by PBS, based on the book.
Challenger At Sea, 1983
The book was an overview of the then current state of marine geology and a source book for the history of that science, and was used as a geology textbook for non-majors.
The Great Dying, 1986
The book described the circumstances leading to the discovery that the dinosaur extinction was triggered by a cometary impact. An inquiry into the nature of survival and extinction, it was published in 6 languages, selling over 170,000 copies worldwide, selling 28,000 copies in the United States between 1986 and 1988; 100,000 copies in Mainland China in 1989 and 40,000 copies in Taiwan. A popular newspaper in Taipei United Post featured The Great Dying in its weekly list of best-selling books list for more than a year, and it was chosen as a top non-fiction book of the year in August 1992. Originally intended to teach the public, the book was used as a textbook in the United States for its scientific method. A film was also made based on the book by ZDF.
In the book, Hsu marshalled "some of the most gripping and controversial geological discoveries of our time to blast Darwin’s claim and to shake the foundations of his evolutionary theory," showing evidence indicating a meteor collided with the Earth, 65 million years ago, leaving much of it uninhabitable, and warning that a similar event may threaten humanity in the future.
Klima Macht Geschichte, 2000
Klima Macht Geschichte presented a theory of climate and history, looking at future climate changes based on historical, archaeological and helio-biological evidence. It made the prediction of global cooling of the planet in the last decades of the 21st century, and the coming of a little ice age before 2500. The claim forecast was corroborated by scientists Khabibullo Abdusamatov
Khabibullo Abdusamatov
Habibullo Ismailovich Abdussamatov is a Russian astrophysicist of Uzbek descent. He is the supervisor of the Astrometria project of the Russian section of the International Space Station and the head of Space research laboratory at the Saint Petersburg-based Pulkovo Observatory of the Russian...
, Yuk Yung, John Cassey, Nigel Calder
Nigel Calder
Nigel Calder is a British science writer.Between 1956 and 1966, Calder wrote for the magazine New Scientist, serving as editor from 1962 until 1966...
, Henrik Svensmark
Henrik Svensmark
Henrik Svensmark is a physicist at the Danish National Space Center in Copenhagen who studies the effects of cosmic rays on cloud formation. His work presents hypotheses about solar activity as an indirect cause of global warming; his research has suggested a possible link through the interaction...
, Alexander Chizhevsky
Alexander Chizhevsky
Alexander Chizhevsky was a Soviet-era interdisciplinary scientist, a biophysicist who founded “heliobiology” and “aero-ionization”...
and John D. Hamaker
John D. Hamaker
John D. Hamaker , was an American mechanical engineer, ecologist, agronomist and science writer in the fields of soil remineralization, rock dusting, mineral cycles, climate cycles and glaciology.-Biography:Background...
http://www.remineralize.org. Orell Fussli Verlag http://www.books.ch published the book after an article about Hsu appeared in Bilanz Magazine http://www.www.bilanz.ch in 1998. Earlier, in 1992, Hsu wrote in Geographical Magazine, "Perhaps our species was created by Gaia to prevent a catastrophic chill" in reference to his published paper Is Gaia Endothermic?, on which the book is also based.
Amadeus & Magdalena, 2002
Published in Chinese, English and German, with a Chinese translation titled “莫扎特的愛與死”., the book presented Hsu's musicological theory about the death of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music...
.
Works
A complete list of books by Kenneth Hsu is available at the Kenneth J. Hsu Official Site http://www.kennethjhsu.com.Amadeus & Magdalena
- 2002, Amadeus & Magdalena: A Love Story. Distributed through Master Classics (UK). English.
- 2002, Amadeus & Magdalena: A Love Story. German.
- 2002, Amadeus & Magdalena: A Love Story. Taipei: Commonwealth Publishers, 218pp. Chinese.
Challenger At Sea
- 1982, Ein Schiff Revolutioniert Die Wissenschaft. Hamburg,: Hoffmann & Campe Verlag, 304 pp. German.
- 1985, Ein Schiff Revolutioniert Die Wissenschaft, Beijing: Geology Publishing House, 175 pp. German.
- 1994, Challenger At Sea: A Ship That Revolutionized Earth Science, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 416 pp. Hardback. English.
- 1994, Challenger At Sea: A Ship That Revolutionized Earth Science, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 418 pp. Paperback edition. English.
- 1994, Challenger At Sea: A Ship That Revolutionized Earth Science, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 418 pp. Revised edition. English.
- 1999, Challenger At Sea: A Ship That Revolutionized Earth Science, Tokyo: Tokai University Press, Tokyo, 483 pp. Japanese.
Climate And Peoples
- 2000, Climate And Peoples: A Theory Of Climate Changes & Their Impacts On Hominid Evolution, Language Dispersal & Demographic Migrations. English.
- 2000, Klima Macht Geschichte: Menschheitsgeschichte Als Abbild der Klimaentwicklung, Zurich: Orell Füssli Verlag, 334 pp. ISBN 3280024064. German. (Climate Makes History: The History Of Mankind As A Reflection Of Climatic Evolution)
- 2002, Klima Macht Geschichte, Taiwan: Commonwealth Publishers. Chinese.
Gaia & The Cambrian Explosion
- 1996, Gaia & The Cambrian Explosion: A Short History For Everyone Of Life On Earth. Taichung: Chinese National Museum Of Natural History, Taiwan, 51pp. Chinese.
- 1996, Gaia & The Cambrian Explosion: A Short History For Everyone Of Life On Earth. German.
Geologic Atlas Of China
- 1998, Geologic Atlas Of China, Amsterdam: Elsevier, 24 plates, 362 pp. English.
- 1998, Geologic Atlas Of China. Chinese.
Geology Of Switzerland
- 1991, Geologie Der Schweiz, Basel: Birkhouser, 219pp. Hardback. German.
- 1995, Geology Of Switzerland: An Introduction To Tectonic Facies. New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 250 pp. English.
Tectonic Facies Of China
- 1992, Tectonic Facies Of China. China: Marine Geology Research Institute (Qingdao), 96 pp. Chinese.
- 1996, Tectonic Facies Of China. Amsterdam: Elsevier Science. English.
- 1996, Tectonic Facies Of China. German.
The Great Dying
- 1986, La Gran Extinción, Barcelona: Antoni Bosch Editorial, 268 pp. Spanish.
- 1986, The Great Dying: Cosmic Catastrophe, Dinosaurs & The Theory of Evolution, San Diego: Random House, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich. Hardback, 292pp. English.
- 1988, The Great Dying. Dutch.
- 1989, The Great Dying, China edition, Beijing: San-lien Publishers, 317 pp. Chinese.
- 1990, Die Letzten Jahre Der Dinosaurier, Germany: Birkhäuser, Basel, 270 pp. German.
- 1991, The Great Dying, Taiwan edition, Taipei: Commonwealth Publishers, 374 pp. Chinese.
- 1988, The Great Dying: Cosmic Catastrophe, Dinosaurs & The Theory of Evolution, USA: Random House, Ballantine, Pan. Paperback. English.
- 1993, La Grande Moria Dei Dinosauri, Milan: Adelphi Edizioni S.P.A., 374 pp. Italian.
- 1994, The Great Dying, Italian Book Club edition. Italian.
The Mediterranean Was A Desert
- 1982, The Mediterranean Was A Desert: A Voyage Of The Glomar Challenger, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, Hardback. 197pp. English.
- 1982, The Mediterranean Was A Desert: A Voyage Of The Glomar Challenger. German.
- 1983, The Mediterranean Was A Desert: A Voyage Of The Glomar Challenger. Italian.
- 1986, The Mediterranean Was a Desert: A Voyage of Discovery, Beijing: San-lien Publishers, 215 pp. Chinese.
- 1987, The Mediterranean was a Desert: A Voyage of Discovery, China edition, Beijing: Geological Publishing House, 197pp. Chinese.
- 1987, The Mediterranean Was A Desert: A Voyage Of The Glomar Challenger, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, Paperback. English.
- 1993, The Mediterranean was a Desert: A Voyage of Discovery, Taiwan, Taipei: Commonwealth Publishers, 260 pp. Chinese.
- 1996, The Mediterranean was a Desert: A Voyage of Discovery, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 197 pp. English.
The Search
- 1997, The Search: The Younger Years of Kenneth J. Hsu (Aloneness & Search), Taipei: Commonwealth Publishers, 474pp. Chinese.
- 1997, The Search: The Younger Years of Kenneth J. Hsu (Aloneness & Search). German.
- 1997, The Search: The Younger Years of Kenneth J. Hsu (Aloneness & Search). Unpublished. English.
Selected articles
Hsu is the author or co-author of more than 400 scientific articles on Archaeology, Cancer, Chronon Physics, Climatology, Cosmology, Cytology, Epistemology, Evolution, Fractal Geometry, Gaia, Geology, Heliobiology, History, Hydro-Physics, Languages, Marine Biology, Mathematics, Marine Biology, Music, Oceanography, Palaeontology, Paleoclimatology, Philosophy, Politics, Religion and Symbiogenesis. A complete list of articles by Kenneth Hsu is available at the Kenneth J. Hsu Official Site http://www.kennethjhsu.com.Climate Articles
- Climate for the 21st Century and Beyond from a Calibrated Solar-Output Model with Dr. Charles A. Perry (USGS), 2001, in West, G.J., and Buffaloe, L.D., eds., Proceedings of the Seventeenth Annual Pacific Climate Workshop, May 22–25, 2000, Two Harbors, Santa Catalina Island, California: Interagency Ecological Program for the San Francisco Estuary Technical Report 67, p. 120.http://ks.water.usgs.gov/pubs/abstracts/cap.052200.html
- Geophysical, Archaeological & Historical Evidence Supports A Solar Model For Climate Change with Dr. Charles A. Perry (United States Geological Survey), Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (USA), 2000, Volume 97, pages 12433-438, 2000. English. PNAS Short versionPNAS Long versionPub Med ASCII version
- The Mortality Of The Planet in Is the World Ending?, Sean Freyne & Nicholas Lash (Editors), SCM Press (London), 1998. English. Available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian, Dutch and German, from Concilium. http://www.concilium.org/english/ct984.htm
- Un Planeta En Peligro De Muerte in Is the World Ending?, Sean Freyne & Nicholas Lash (Editors), SCM Press (London), 1998. English. Spanish translation in Concilium.
- Sun, Climate, Famine & Great Ethnic Migrations, Science In China/Chinese Science Bulletin. 28 (4): 336-384, 1998. http://www.springerlink.com/content/751761296215p345/
- Could Global Warming Be A Blessing For Mankind?, Terrestrial Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences/TAUS, Chinese Academy of Science, Taipei, Taiwan, September 1996 http://www.tao.cgu.org.tw/index.php?id=204
- Is Gaia Endothermic?, Geology Magazine, 129 (2), pp. 129–141, XIV, March 1992. English. http://www.geolmag.geoscienceworld.org/cgi/content/abstract/129/2/129
- Gaia Has A Strange Attractor: Interactions Of Geospheres & Biospheres During 4 Billion Years of Earth History, Unknown
- Has Global Warming Been A Blessing To Mankind?, Unknown. Early version of Could Global Warming Be A Blessing For Mankind?.
- Gaia & The Cambrian Explosion: A Short History For Everyone Of Life On Earth, Chinese National Museum of Natural History, Taiwan, September 1996.
Science Articles
- The Dark Side Of Science, Global View Monthly, Commonwealth Publishers, Taipei, Taiwan, 1998.
- In Search Of A Common Language, Transfigural Mathematics, http://www.transmath.de, Volume 2, Number 1, 1996, pp41–59
- In Search Of A Common Language, Arbeitsberichte, Wissenschaftskolleg, Jahbrbuch 1995-1996, pp87–95
- In Search Of A Physical Theory Of Time, PNAS. http://www.pnas.org/content/89/21/10222.full.pdf
- Are Chronons the Elementary Particles in Space and Time?, Terrestrial, Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences, Volume 7, Number 239-255, June 1996. TAO, PO Box 23-59, Taipei, Taiwan, PRC.
- Why I Write, Transfigural Mathematics, Volume 1, Number 5, 1996, pp-11-18
- Why Isaac Newton Was Not A Chinese, 24 June 1994, Abschiedsvorlesung von Prof. Dr. Kenneth J. Hsu, Auditorium Maximum der ETH Zurich
- Fractal Geometry Of A Career in Controversies in Modern Geology: Evolution of Geological Theories in Sedimentology, Earth History & Tectonics, edited by D.W. Müller, J.A. McKenzie, H. Weissert, Academic Press-Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, London, New York, Sydney, 1991.
Evolution Articles
- Is Darwinism Science? Taoists, Nazis and Gamblers Offer Different Views Of Evolution, Earthwatch Magazine, March 1989, pp15–17.
- Catastrophic Extinctions & The Inevitability Of The Improbable, Referat und Diskussion der 28. Sitzung der Studiengruppe Energieperspektiven Baden, 26. Marz 1987, Doukumentation Nr. 28, Studiengruppe Energieperspektiven.
- Evolution, Ideology, Darwinism and Science, Klin Wochenschr (1989), 67:923-928, Klinische Wochen-schrift, Springer-Verlag, 1989
- Catastrophic Extinctions & The Inevitability Of The Improbable, Journal of the Geological Society, London, Volume 146, 1989, pp749–754, 5 figs. pp749–754
- Darwin's Three Mistakes, Geology, Volume 14, p532-534, June, p532-534, June 1996
Geology Articles
- Lost Secrets Of The Mediterranean: 2000 meters beneath the sea, grand canyons, death valleys and the pillars of Atlantis, The Sciences, USA: The New York Academy of Sciences, pp44–51. Undated.
- Environmental Changes in Times of Biotic Crisis, Processes in the History Of Life, Raup & Jablonski, Dahlem Conference 1986, Berlin, pp297–312
- When The Mediterranean Dried Up: 6 million years ago, the Mediterranean basin was a desert 10,000 feet deep, Unknown, p25-37, 12 pages
- Sedimentary Geology & Biologic Evolution - Reply, Journal of Sedimentary Petrology, Volume 57, Number 4, July 1987, Society of Econoic Paleontologists & Mineralogists
- Mountain-building, Elsevier Science, 1996, pp8–11
- Acceptance Speech by K. J. Hsu to the Geological Society of America, on the Occasion of an Award of the Penrose Medal, http://www.kennethjhsu.com/mylife.html#speech
Music Articles
- Fractal Geometry of Music: From Birdsong To Bach, with Andres Hsu, USA: Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, 87 (1990), 938-941. http://www.www.pnas.org/content/87/3/938.full.pdf
- Fractal Geometry Of Music: Physics Of Melody, with Andres Hsu, Proceedings National Academy Of Science, Volume 87, pp938–941, Feb 1990, Physics
Materials citing Hsu
Books- Streit um heiße Luft: Die Kohlendioxid Debatte, Uwe Schulte, Hirzel, Stuttgart, 2003. ISBN 10: 3777611867.
- Paradoxes in Modern Geology, Editors: Briegel & Xiao, Amsterdam: Elsevier Science, 2001. ISBN 0444505601
- Controversies in Modern Geology: Evolution of Geological Theories in Sedimentology, Earth History & Tectonics, edited by D.W. Müller, J.A. McKenzie, H. Weissert, Academic Press-Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, London, New York, Sydney, 1991.
Articles
- An Appreciation of Professor Kenneth Jinghwa Hsu on the Occasion of his 60th Birthday Celebration, Controversies in Modern Geology: Evolution of Geological Theories, in Sedimentology, Earth History & Tectonics, edited by D.W. Müller, J.A. McKenzie, H. Weissert, Academic Press-Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, London, New York, Sydney, 1991.
- Physics Chronon Challenge, Transfigural Mathematics (Berlin, Germany), Volume 2, Number 1, 1996. Interview by Lere O. Shakunle pp 67–73.
- Je Pense Que Je Suis Un Genie, P. Imper & M. Schlapfer, Bilanz Magazine, Switzerland (French edition), pp 44, 4 pages, 1998.
- Ich denke, ich bin ein Genie, Bilanz Magazine, Switzerland (German edition), pp 154, 5 pages, November 1997
- Chance in a Collison with Darwinism, Lee Dembart, Los Angeles Times, 1980s
- Mediterranean desert, Christopher Wren, and industrial chemistry, Philip Morrison (MIT), Scientific American, 1987
- The Mediterranean Was A Desert, International Oceanographic Foundation, 5 September 1987
- Below the Bottom, C. Vita-Finzi, Times Literary Supplement, 27 April 1984
- Homo sapiens: a temporary warming trend?, Ptolemy, Geographical Magazine, August 1992, pp58
- Love that Pleistocene!, Ptolemy, Geographical Magazine, February 1993, pp50
- The Mediterranean Was A Desert, Geology, September 1984
Films
- The Mediterranean Was A Desert, BBC. Producer: David Attenborough.
- The Mediterranean Was A Desert, PBS, 45 minutes. Producer: Madeline Peck. Director: Philip Morisson.
- The Mediterranean Was A Desert, ZDF, Producer: Hoimar Von Ditfurth.
- The Great Dying, PBS. Producer: Madeline Peck. Director: Philip Morisson.
- The Great Dying, ZDF, Producer: Hoimar Von Ditfurth.
- Landsliding: The Mountain, BBC Horizon.
- Landsliding: The Mountain Slide, BBC Horizon.
- Climate And Tibet, BBC Horizon. Producer: Walter Suche.
Other writings
- 1970 Development of the Northern Apennines Geosyncline, ed. by G. Sestini, Palaoegeography, Palaeoclimatol, Palaeocol., 11, (1972), pp. 72–74, XIV
- 1973 Atlas of Palaeobiogeography, ed. by A. Hallam, Sedimentology (1973), v. 20, Aug. 1973, pp. 453–454, XIII
- 1974 Marine Evaporites, Origin, Diagenesis and Geochemistry, ed. by D.W. Kirkland, et al. Sedimentology, v. 21, no. 3, Aug. 1974, pp. 486–487, XIII.
- 1977 International Stratigraphic Guide, ed. by H.D. Hedberg, et al., Sedimentology (1977), v. 24, pp. 597–598, XIII.
- 1978 Sedimentary Rocks, by F.J. Petitjohn - Sedimentary Petrology, Part II, by H. Füchtbauer - Sediment Petrologie, Teil II, by H. Füchtbauer & G. Müller - Origin of Sedimentary Rocks, by H. Blatt, et al. Sedimentology (1978), 25, pp. 149–152, XIII
- 1978 The Evolution of North America, by Ph. B. King - Studies in Palaeo-Oceanography, by W.W. Hay - Palaeographic Provinces and Provinciality, by Ch. A. Ross - Tectonics and Sedimentation, by W.R. Dickinson Sedimentology, v. 25, no. 5, Oct. 1978, pp. 732–735, XIII.
- 1979 Sorby on Geology, ed. by Ch. Summerson, Sedimentology, v. 26, no. 6, Dec. 1979, pp. 873–875, XIII.
- 1981 The Geological Evolution of the River Nile, by R. Said, Springer 1981, 151 pp. 73 figs., in Die Naturwissenschaften, Heidelberg, Nawi BB577.
- 1983 Sedimentary Petrology, by H. Blatt, Sedimentology, v. 30, no. 4, Aug. 1983, pp. 586–587, XIII.
- 1985 Memoirs of an Unrepentant Field Geologist, by P.J. Pettijohn, Sedimentology (1985), 32, pp. 615–616, XIII
- 1985 Geological Evolution of the Mediterranean Basin, by D.J. Stanley & F.C. Wezel, Springer Verlag, 1985, 589 pp., XIII.
- 1985 The Caledonide Orogon-Scandinavia and Related Area: ed. D.G. Gee & B.A. Sturt, Chichester, 1985 (John Wiley & Son), XIII
- 1987 The Ocean of Truth, by H.W. Menard, Geochimica et Cosmochimica, v. 51, pp. 2045–2046, 1987, USA, XIII.
- 1988 The Geology of China, by Yang Zunyi et al., Geology, Jan. 1988, XIII
- 1990 The Origin of Species Revisited : The Theories of Evolution and of Abrupt Appearance (2 v.); by W.R. Bird. New York 1989 (Philosophical Library). American Journal of Science, Vol. 290, November 1990, No. 9, p. 1090-1092. XIV
- 1991 Scientist of Empire, by Robert A. Stafford, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge and New York, 1989, 293 p. in GSA Today, Vol. 1, No. 2, Feb. 1991, p. 40, 41, 43. XIV
- 1993 The Tancheng-Lujiang Wrench Fault System, Xu Jiawei, John Wiley & Sons, Chichester, U.K., 1993, XV + 279 pp.
Notable lectures
- In Search Of A Common Language: What Does Modern Physics Have In Common With Traditional Chinese Medicine?, The Ashby Lecture, 15 March 2000, Clare Hall College, Cambridge University, UK.
- Nitrite Pollution & Cancer, Queen Mary College, University of London, 15 February 2008. In association with CSSA UK.
- Residual Oil Exploitation for Stable Economy and Transition, School of Oriental & African Studies, University of London, 23 January 2009. In association with CSSA UK.
- The Kenneth J. Hsu Oil & Water Press Conference, Geological Society, 15 October 2008, Geological Society of London, UK. In association with CSSA UK.
See also
- Klima Macht Geschichte: Menschheitsgeschichte als Abbild der KlimaentwicklungKlima Macht Geschichte: Menschheitsgeschichte als Abbild der KlimaentwicklungKlima Macht Geschichte: Menschheitsgeschichte als Abbild der Klimaentwicklung is a book written by Kenneth J. Hsu, published in German by Orell Füssli Verlag on 17th October 2000. The English transliteration of the title is Climate Makes History: The History Of Mankind As A Reflection Of Climatic...
(book) - List of ETH Zurich people