The Most Important Scientist You’ve Never Heard Of

Discussion in 'Science & Nature' started by Joe Riley, Aug 31, 2019.

  1. Joe Riley

    Joe Riley Supreme Member
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    by Michael Rogalski

    "For 60 years, American drivers unknowingly poisoned themselves by pumping leaded gasoline into their tanks. Here is the lifelong saga of Clair Patterson—a scientist who helped build the atomic bomb and discovered the true age of the Earth—and how he took on a billion-dollar industry to save humanity from itself."

    [​IMG]
     
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  2. Beth Gallagher

    Beth Gallagher Supreme Member
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    Interesting, Joe. I worked for ExxonMobil for nearly 30 years; the Bayway refinery was sold to Tosco in 1993. One of my best friends was a PhD research chemist whose specialty was GC/MS (gas chromatography/mass spectrometry) for Exxon Chemicals. (I was in IT and my husband was in Research--the Rex Tillerson era.) People continue to complain about unleaded gasoline. :D
     
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  3. Bess Barber

    Bess Barber Veteran Member
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    I never know about the dangers of leaded gasoline. @Joe Riley This was interesting information!

    @Beth Gallagher I like your new avatar!!! Very nice!
     
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  4. Beth Gallagher

    Beth Gallagher Supreme Member
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    Thanks; I think it looks too fuzzy. (Not necessarily a bad thing. :p) I'm trying to keep up with @Ken Anderson. :D

    ETA--well I couldn't get used to that old pic, so I'm back to being "me." Ken will have to be young and beautiful by himself. :D
     
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    Last edited: Sep 1, 2019
  5. Joe Riley

    Joe Riley Supreme Member
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  6. Hal Pollner

    Hal Pollner Veteran Member
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    I have several books and documentary films of the development of the atomic bomb during the Manhattan Project, and the name Clair Patterson has never appeared among them.

    Hal
     
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  7. Beth Gallagher

    Beth Gallagher Supreme Member
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    He and his wife were both involved in the Manhattan Project.
     
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  8. Hal Pollner

    Hal Pollner Veteran Member
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    I re-checked the indexes of my most comprehensive books on the Manhattan Project, and although there were a few Pattersons, none was Clair Patterson.

    Hal
     
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  9. Bess Barber

    Bess Barber Veteran Member
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    That is odd since it's all over the internet.

    download - 2019-10-08T174230.465.jpeg
     
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  10. Hal Pollner

    Hal Pollner Veteran Member
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    Hmmmmm...

    Hal
     
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  11. Bess Barber

    Bess Barber Veteran Member
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    @Hal Pollner
    This is set up kind of odd, but if you full screen it, it looks to be an interesting movie.
     
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  12. Joe Riley

    Joe Riley Supreme Member
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    Clair Patterson (LINK)

    "While attending Grinnell College Patterson met his wife Lorna McCleary. In their early careers they began to work on the Manhattan Project. The Manhattan Project was a research and development project testing atomic bombs during World War II. (Kitman) At this point in time Patterson had become very experienced with a mass spectrometer, which would come in handy later. After the war ended, the Manhattan Project was over and Patterson and McCleary moved on."

    Since there were approximately 600,000 people who "worked" on the Top Secret project, I don't think any book would have their names listed. They may, however, have been on Leslie Grove's speed-dial....or NOT.
     
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    Last edited: Oct 8, 2019
  13. Joe Riley

    Joe Riley Supreme Member
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    Claire & Lorna enjoying their lunch break....

    [​IMG]
     
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  14. Al Amoling

    Al Amoling Veteran Member
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  15. Bobby Cole

    Bobby Cole Supreme Member
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    It’s fictional but it really is a good movie. I watched it a couple of times and it has some pretty interesting aspects to it like, “can a kid build an atomic weapon”? Of course, in the movie the answer is ...........I ain’t gonna spoil the movie for anyone who hasn’t seen it. 4 stars on a scale of 5.
     
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