Clair Patterson, the U.S. scientist who contributed to the atomic bomb's development, also determined Earth's age. During his experiments, he discovered widespread lead contamination, which led him to pioneer the creation of the ultra-clean room. While successfully dating the planet, he also uncovered the devastating extent of lead pollution from leaded gasoline. Realizing its harmful effects on humanity, he launched a campaign against leaded gasoline, taking on a billion-dollar industry and warning the world that it was poisoning the population.
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