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What other actions were scientists so preoccupied with whether or not they could, that they didn't stop to think if they should? (lemmy.ml)

submitted 3 months ago by lemuria@lemmy.ml to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

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[–] bradorsomething@ttrpg.network 28 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Leaded gasoline, CFC’s as a propellant… generally Thomas Midgely, Jr.

[–] echodot@feddit.uk 16 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

It's not quite the same since there was no reason to believe CFCs would be dangerous. They checked for toxicity to humans and that was about it. It never occurred to anyone to simulate interactions with atmospheric particles, meteorological science was almost non-existent back then, it was essentially just limited to weather forecasting.

It never occurred anyone to worry to about what might happen 100+ years in the future.

But yeah he had absolutely no excuse for lead in gasoline, as far back as the Romans we knew lead was toxic.