Unveiling the truth about the greenhouse effect: a woman decoded it before men and was erased from history books!

In 1856, Eunice Newton Foote linked carbon dioxide to climate change. A visionary scientist and suffragist, her contributions remain largely unrecognized. Why has history overlooked this climate pioneer?

the forgotten pioneer of climate science

In the mid-19th century, while most were oblivious to the concept of the greenhouse effect, one woman stood at the forefront of scientific discovery. Eunice Newton Foote, an American scientist, ventured where few dared. Despite her groundbreaking work, she remains a footnote in history. How did such a crucial figure become shrouded in obscurity?

Foote’s experiments in 1856 predated those of Irish physicist John Tyndall by three years and Swedish Nobel laureate Svante Arrhenius by forty years. Yet, it is Tyndall who is often credited as the first to predict the potential climatic impacts of changes in atmospheric composition.

a significant oversight

The narrative surrounding John Tyndall’s discoveries omits Foote’s contributions, which may have laid the groundwork for understanding modern meteorological principles and climate science. Her theory stated that even modest increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) could significantly raise global temperatures.

• This relationship between CO2 and climate has since become a cornerstone of environmental science.
• Eunice Newton Foote was also instrumental in advocating for women’s rights, contributing to the historic Seneca Falls Convention.

a revolutionary experiment

On August 23, 1856, at Albany, New York’s eighth annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), hundreds gathered for what was expected to be an uneventful day. Yet Eunice N. Foote’s paper titled “Circumstances Affecting the Heat of Sun’s Rays” sparked intrigue.

Due to gender restrictions at AAAS meetings, Joseph Henry of the Smithsonian Institution presented her findings. Sadly, neither her report nor Henry’s presentation were documented in conference proceedings.

1. The AAAS journal published only a brief summary of her work.
2. A year later, journalist David A. Wells extolled her capabilities in his review stating, “Mrs. Foote’s experiments prove women can study any subject with originality and precision.”

diy science: foote’s experimental genius

Foote conducted her groundbreaking research using simple tools like glass cylinders and vacuum pumps to isolate atmospheric gases under sunlight.The results were profound:

• CO2 and water vapor absorbed heat significantly enough to impact climate.
• An atmosphere rich in CO2 would raise Earth’s temperature—a finding presciently foreseeing what we now know as global warming.

Eunice Newton Foote described phenomena far ahead of her time. Her insights came three years before Tyndall conclusively demonstrated Earth’s greenhouse effect with more sophisticated equipment.

a legacy overshadowed

Tyndall’s failure to mention Foote may have been due to limited transatlantic communication or lack of awareness about her work—an unfortunate oversight that eclipsed her accomplishments.

Roland Jackson suggests that given the sparse scientific exchange between Europe and America during the 1850s—and considering American institutions’ limited influence abroad—it’s plausible Tyndall never encountered Foote’s research.

a trailblazer withstanding adversity

Eunice Newton Foote’s education at Troy Female Seminary—renowned for progressive scientific teachings spearheaded by Amos Eaton and Emma Hart Willard—prepared her well beyond societal norms for women then.

• Troy Female Seminary boasted chemistry labs exclusively designed for female students—a pioneering concept globally at its inception.

An ardent advocate for gender equality alongside Elizabeth Cady Stanton during Seneca Falls Convention further attests to Foote’s indomitable spirit against institutional bias keeping women sidelined from scientific achievements historically dominated by men alone.