The segment introduces a scientist whose inventions resulted in millions of deaths, including his own, and had a lasting negative impact on global intelligence and crime rates.

• The scientist's work caused millions of deaths and his own.
• His inventions decreased global intelligence, increased crime rates, and caused two environmental disasters.

Clair Patterson worked on the Manhattan Project, concentrating Uranium-235 from Uranium-238 to create the first nuclear weapons.

• Clair Patterson, after completing his master's degree, joined the Manhattan Project.
• He was tasked with concentrating Uranium-235, the fissionable fuel for uranium bombs.

Patterson's doctoral research focused on determining Earth's age, which he conducted using mass spectrometry.

• After World War II, Patterson pursued a Ph.D. and leveraged his experience with mass spectrometers to measure Earth's age.
• He analyzed radioactive stones, which act like clocks, to determine the age of the Earth.

Patterson's calibration of his instrument using zircon revealed an unexpected high level of lead contamination.

• To calibrate his instrument, he measured the lead content in zircon, which should contain no lead at formation.
• The unexpected high levels of lead measured in the zircon led Patterson to investigate and discover widespread environmental lead contamination.

The electric starter was invented by Charles Kettering to eliminate the need for dangerous hand cranks in automobiles.

• After Byron Carter's death due to a hand crank accident, Charles Kettering was hired to create a self-starting car.
• Kettering's invention not only improved safety but also increased automobile accessibility and performance.

Thomas Midgley Jr. was tasked with finding an additive to eliminate engine knock in high-compression engines.

• Midgley Jr. experimented with various compounds to increase fuel octane and prevent engine knock.
• He eventually discovered tetraethyl lead as an effective anti-knock agent.

Leaded gasoline was widely adopted, leading to global lead contamination and significant health and environmental impacts.

• After the successful use of leaded gasoline in the Indianapolis 500, demand soared, but lead poisoning cases emerged soon after.
• Despite evidence of lead's toxicity, leaded gasoline continued to be produced and used worldwide.

Patterson's meticulous research uncovered the true extent of environmental lead contamination and its sources.

• Patterson's research into lead levels in the ocean and ice cores provided evidence of recent lead pollution primarily from leaded gasoline.
• His findings on lead's impact on human health led to a reduction in the acceptable levels of lead in children's blood.

Midgley invented chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which were later found to cause significant damage to the ozone layer.

• Midgley developed CFCs as a safe alternative for refrigerants, which were non-toxic and non-flammable.
• The stability and lightness of CFCs allowed them to reach the stratosphere, leading to the depletion of the ozone layer.

The enduring legacy of lead contamination continues to affect public health and the environment, despite efforts to eliminate it.

• Leaded gasoline is no longer used in cars but is still utilized in aviation, contributing to current lead emissions.
• The global phase-out of leaded gasoline has saved lives and money but the impact of past use persists.