State Historical Society of Iowa

"Getting the Lead Out," - Geochemist Clair Patterson, September 21, 2015

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Courtesy of California Institute of Technology, "Getting the Lead Out," - Geochemist Clair Patterson, September 21, 2015

Description

This Caltech Media Relations article documents the work of Clair Cameron Patterson, a geochemist born in Mitchellville, Iowa who earned degrees from Grinnell College, the University of Iowa, and the University of Chicago before spending his entire professional career at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). Patterson's work resulted in the calculation of Earth's age and the discovery of man-made toxic levels of lead in the atmosphere. He became the leading voice in the fight against lead poisoning.

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Source Dependent Questions

  • Initially, what was the main focus of Clair Patterson's research? What was he first known for discovering? How did he discover it?
  • As a by-product of his work, what else did Patterson discover? Specifically, what did he boldly claim in 1965? How did he discover it? How did it help humans better understand the impact they were having on Earth?
  • What was the result of Patterson's research and activism? In what ways did his work translate into action that has saved lives?

Citation Information

Smith, Douglas, "Getting the Lead Out," September 21, 2015. Courtesy of California Institute of Technology Courtesy of Library of Congress