A Billion Butterflies: A Life in Climate and Chaos Theory

Author: Dr Jagadish Shukla

A Billion Butterflies begins in a village where livelihoods rose and fell with the monsoon rains and follows one man's quest to understand the forces that shape our world. Climate scientist Dr. Jagadish Shukla blends memoir, history and science into a compelling story of curiosity, determination and discovery. The book’s title nods to the famous “butterfly effect” of chaos theory—the idea that small changes can ripple through complex systems with far-reaching consequences. A pioneering climate researcher and lead author on the Nobel Peace Prize-winning 2007 IPCC climate report, Shukla offers a fascinating look at the science behind the weather forecasts we often take for granted and the discoveries that transformed our understanding of weather and climate.