Foote who was also a women’s rights activist discovered the role of greenhouse effect in the warming of Earth,s climate.
Her study on greenhouse gases and atmospheric static electricity were the first two physics studies published by a woman in the US, which was then presented by a male scientist around 1856 at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
The discussions led to further experiments which uncovered what is known as the greenhouse effect — when gases like carbon dioxide trap heat from the sun, the temperature of Earth’s atmosphere gradually rises.
“Today, scientists all over the world are advancing climate science thanks to the foundation that Foote laid,” Google said in a statement.
Foote was born on July 17, 1819 in Connecticut, US. She attended the Troy Female Seminary, a school that encouraged students to attend science lectures and participate in chemistry labs.
While science became a lifelong passion for Foote, she also dedicated time to campaigning for women’s rights. In 1848, Foote attended the first Woman’s Rights Convention in Seneca Falls.
She was the fifth signatory of the Declaration of Sentiments — a document that demanded equality for women in social and legal status.
“At the time, women were widely shunned from the scientific community. Undeterred, Foote conducted experiments on her own,” Google said.
“After placing mercury thermometers in glass cylinders, she discovered that the cylinder containing carbon dioxide experienced the most significant heating effect in the sun.
“Foote was ultimately the first scientist to make the connection between rising carbon dioxide levels and the warming of the atmosphere.”
Happy Birthday, Eunice Newton Foote!
–IANS
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