How a scientist's three inventions accidentally caused the deaths of millions of people

And it didn't end there.
Derya Ozdemir

Have you ever heard of the scientist who accidentally killed millions of people, including himself, with three inventions?

It didn't end there. His inventions also reduced the average intellect of individuals all over the world, raised crime rates, and caused two distinct environmental disasters that we are still coping with today.

In his latest video, Derek Muller of the YouTube channel Veritasium tells the story of the principal architect of this disaster: Thomas Midgley, Jr., a General Motors mechanical and chemical engineer.

Midgley's invention was leaded gasoline, which is made by mixing tetraethyl lead with gasoline. This problem arose as a result of General Motors' search for fuel to power their new high compression automotive engines and it has greatly contributed to the environmental problems we are still facing today. If you want to learn more, watch the video above.

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