Nick Shackleton (1937-2006) in his office in 2004. Besides his pioneering work to determine the timing of ice age cycles, he helped found the CLIMAP paleoclimate project, and led in the study of changes in the carbon cycle through ice ages, among other problems. "Through his meticulous work... he was a champion of 'small science,' showing by example that the most important data and the best ideas do not necessarily require high-priced enterprises."*

* G.H. Haug and L.C. Peterson,
Nature 493 (2006): 928.