[2][3] In 1944, during World War II, he was one of the few meteorologists who accurately identified Typhoon Cobra, which savaged Halsey's Third Fleet.

[4] Bryson's main contribution to the debate on climate change was the idea of "the human volcano" causing global cooling, via an increase in aerosol loading.

[5] This idea was sparked in 1962 by his own observation, while flying across India en route to a conference, that his view of the ground was blocked not by clouds but by dust.

Others, including Hubert Lamb, who created a Dust Veil Index,[6] thought volcanoes were more responsible for global-scale aerosol.

Down to the Sea: An Epic Story of Naval Disaster and Heroism in World War II.