Losing a 'lunatic' scientist

Huang Danian works in his office in Changchun, Jilin province, in this file photo from 2010. The scientist died of cancer in January. [Photo/Xinhua]

Huang Danian was a titan among geophysicists. His death is mourned and life celebrated for his achievements and spirit. Erik Nilsson reports in Changchun.

Huang Danian was a scientist and a self-proclaimed "lunatic". His mad approach to technology, duty and education enabled China to make great strides toward uncovering the mysteries that hide under the ground we stand on.

He led some of China's top deep-Earth exploration projects to map the world beneath our planet's surface, including valuable mineral deposits.

But overwork meant sacrificing his health and time with his family.

Huang died of cancer in January. He was 58.

More than 800 people attended his funeral, including members of the international scientific community.

As he lay in a coma in Jilin province's Changchun, his daughter in London gave birth to a son, whose name Huang had picked.

His grandson's name, Chunlun, is a portmanteau of Changchun and London's Chinese pronunciation, lundun.

These were the cities that meant most to Huang－and he, in turn, made his mark on them.

Huang went to the United Kingdom in 1993 to earn a doctorate in geophysics from Leeds University. He graduated top of his class. The scientist later took an elite private-sector job.

But he felt he'd hit a ceiling after 18 years in the UK.

It was time to come home.