Death of Thomas Midgley
What caused Midgley’s strange death?
4.1 (40)
47 mins
Uncover the extraordinary life of Thomas Midgley Jr., the inventor whose work with leaded gasoline and CFCs transformed modern industry while creating serious environmental consequences. Explore how a series of debilitating illnesses left him dependent on a complex pulley system, and how that very device ultimately became involved in his mysterious death in 1944.
Ep 1:
The Man Who Poisoned the Sky
Meet Thomas Midgley Jr., the celebrated American chemist whose brilliant fixes for engine knock would quietly set the stage for two of history's worst environmental disasters.
Ep 2:
How One Chemist Poisoned a Generation
Midgley's search for a cheap anti-knock additive unleashes leaded gasoline on the world, while his "safe" refrigerant Freon hides a hidden atmospheric time bomb.
Ep 3:
The Shield, the Strangler, and the Verdict
As CFCs tear a hole in the ozone shield, Midgley meets an eerily fitting death—leaving history to judge whether he was hero, villain, or both.
Discussions (5)
Jared
Level 6 · 3 weeks agoMidgley knew lead was poisoning workers and still poured it on his hands for reporters. The audacity.
Steven
Level 8 · 3 weeks agoso Midgley KNEW he had lead poisoning, poured it on his hands for reporters anyway, then went home and put his gloves back on 💀 the audacity of that press conference is actually insane
Steven
Level 7 · 3 weeks agoA cheerful chemist who poisoned the planet twice, nearly destroyed the ozone layer, and then got strangled by his own bed. Nature really said 'I got you eventually mate'
