by Peter Holland

illustration by Rostislav Kotil

illustration colors by Peter Holland

Name: Thomas Midgley, Jr.
Born–Died: 18 May 1889 –  2 November 1944
Profession: Mechanical engineer turned chemist.
Accomplishment: Invented unleaded oil & Chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) gasses used in aerosol propellant & refrigerator coolant.
Nationality: American

→ Philanthropy: 1/10
Prevented small unwanted explosions in combustion engines (known as knocking), using lead in oil. Found a way to “safely” cool refrigerators with inflammable, non-toxic CFCs. But both discoveries caused horrendous pollution, including the hole in the ozone layer and widespread lead poisoning.

→ Extremism: 7/10
Poured leaded petrol over his hands and inhaled fumes for 60 seconds to “prove” his invention’s safety. Suffered lead poisoning, though not as badly as some of his staff, who went mad.

→ Guilt Factor: 8/10
Along with patent owners General Motors, covered up the effects of lead for decades, reaping huge financial rewards.
Leaded oil was unnecessary and caused some of the most widespread, harmful pollution of the 20th century. Normal ethanol fuel was cheaper and harder to make profit from, hence the intense pressure to make leaded default for vehicles. However, Midgley died before it was revealed CFCs destroyed the ozone layer.

→ Mythology / Mythbuster: 0/10
Contracted polio at 51. Created a mechanism to help himself out of bed Wallace and Gromit style, completing his invention hat-trick when it strangled him to death!

→ Inspiration to Others: 7/10
Reputedly inspired the techniques used by the tobacco industry to cover-up the effects of smoking.

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