hackertube.io

The Man Who Accidentally Killed The Most People In History

Veritasium · explainer · Watch on YouTube

ChemistryEnvironment, agriculture & food systemsWorld history

What it is

Veritasium tells the story of Thomas Midgley Jr., who introduced leaded gasoline and CFCs, and covers the science behind lead exposure and ozone damage. It also touches on isotope geochemistry used to uncover the history.

Why Hacker News recommends it

HN commenters recommend it whenever leaded fuel, toxic chemicals or corporate profit motives come up, praising its storytelling and accessible science.

  • 6 people recommended it
  • 6 different months
  • 1 strong recommendations
  • first 2022, last 2026

What HN commenters said

  1. “here's an excellent one by Veritasium on how it happened.”

    Fascinating storytelling with accessible science.

    belltaco, 2023-10 · Strong recommendation · in “EPA moves towards banning leaded aviation gas”

  2. “Veritasium has a great YouTube video about this”

    Story of Midgley and leaded gasoline.

    wirelesspotat, 2022-04 · Recommendation · in “Regular blood donations can reduce “forever chemicals” in the bloodstream: study”

  3. “it's a really interesting albeit sad video”

    Story behind lead in gasoline; interesting though sad.

    jeffxtreme, 2022-05 · Recommendation · in “The impact of childhood lead exposure on adult personality (2021)”

  4. “Have you seen this Veritasium video about the man who came up with adding tetraethyllead to gasonline”

    Story of inventor of tetraethyllead and its impact.

    blensor, 2022-09 · Recommendation · in “FAA approves unleaded fuel for piston fleet”

  5. “This youtube channel does a good job of explaining his inventions and just how bad for society they were.”

    Explains inventions and how bad they were for society.

    thret, 2023-12 · Recommendation · in “U.S. workers say banned weed killer in 50 countries is giving them Parkinson's”

  6. “Veritasium did a great video on Midgley”

    Explains why ethanol was passed over for lead.

    amiga386, 2025-12 · Recommendation · in “Why did we use leaded petrol for so long? (2017)”

Excerpts from Hacker News comments, linked to the originals. Summaries and labels were written by a language model from those comments.

Topics: thomas midgley, tetraethyllead, cfcs, environmental disaster, lead poisoning

Also recommended by the same people