Podcast Summary: Stuff You Missed in History Class – "Eunice Newton Foote"

Episode Date: August 23, 2025
Hosts: Tracy V. Wilson, Holly Frey
Original Air Date: September 8, 2021 (Classic Re-air)
Main Theme:
This episode spotlights Eunice Newton Foote, a 19th-century American scientist and women's rights activist, who was the first known person to experimentally link atmospheric carbon dioxide levels to warming climate—predating John Tyndall by three years. The hosts explore Foote’s overlooked contributions to science, her personal history, her involvement in early feminist movements, and the subsequent handling of her legacy by the scientific community.

Episode Overview

• Purpose:
  To recover and discuss the legacy of Eunice Newton Foote—a scientist who demonstrated the connection between CO₂ and climate warming in 1856—and to explore the barriers she faced as a woman in science.
• Relevance:
  The episode is re-aired in the context of climate policy news (02:14), clearly illustrating the timeliness and importance of understanding the roots of climate science.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Foote’s Early Life & Education

• Born in Connecticut, 1819; moved to East Bloomfield, NY as a child (05:19–05:59).
• Attended Troy Female Seminary (now Emma Willard School), which prioritized science education and "learning by doing"—uncommon for women’s schools then (06:23–07:32).
  • “Eunice would not only have attended lectures on the scientists, she also would have learned about designing and conducting experiments as part of scientific study.” (07:00, Tracy)
• Possible, but undocumented, connection to Elizabeth Cady Stanton through the seminary (07:32).

2. Marriage, Family, and Women’s Rights Activism

• Married Elisha Foote in 1841; lived in Seneca Falls (07:59).
• Both were significant participants in the Seneca Falls Convention (1848), co-signing the Declaration of Sentiments (08:37).
  • Eunice served on the committee to keep the conference proceedings.

3. Inventive Life and Scientific Pursuits

• Both Eunice and Elisha were prolific inventors, holding patents (10:17–11:54).
  • Eunice’s patents: Shoe sole filling (anti-squeak, 1860), paper-making machine (notably cost-saving for paper manufacturers).
• Elisha specialized in patent law and held positions at the U.S. Patent Office, reaching Commissioner (1868) (11:54–13:58).

4. Scientific Contributions and Experiments

• In 1856, both presented research at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) (19:52–21:44).
  • Elisha's work: Sun’s rays and temperature measurement.
  • Eunice's work: Effect of different air compositions (CO₂, water vapor, dry air, hydrogen) on solar heating (23:28–25:47).
    • Her apparatus: Two glass cylinders, with different gases, exposed to sunlight—measured temperature increases.
    • Key Finding: "The highest effect of the sun’s rays I have found to be in carbonic acid gas." (24:36, Tracy reading Eunice’s words)
    • Concluded that higher atmospheric CO₂ leads to higher global temperatures.

Notable Quote

“An atmosphere of that gas would give to our Earth a high temperature." – Eunice Newton Foote (25:07)

• Context: Her ideas prefigured the modern concept of greenhouse gases.

5. Reception, Gender Barriers, and Attribution

• Eunice’s paper read by Joseph Henry (of Smithsonian); origin of this arrangement is ambiguous—possibilities include gender bias, policy, or honorary intention (21:15–28:27).
  • Joseph Henry’s prefacing remark:

"Science was of no country and of no sex. The sphere of woman embraces not only the beautiful and the useful, but the true." (29:45, from Henry via Wells)

• Scientific American and other journals reported positively on her work, highlighting both her scientific achievements and capability as a woman in science (36:34–38:28).
  • “The experiments of Mrs. Foote afford abundant evidence of the ability of woman to investigate any subject with originality and precision.” (38:04, Tracy quoting Sci Am)
• However, other periodicals were dismissive or sexist, critiquing women’s involvement as ornamental or trivial (39:40–40:44).

6. Legacy and Recognition

• John Tyndall independently conducted similar research in 1859—he is now more commonly credited as the “founder of climate science.” (41:41–44:13)
• The idea that Tyndall was aware of and ignored Foote’s work is debated; the consensus leans toward a lack of transatlantic scientific communication, rather than deliberate exclusion (41:41–42:42).
• Svante Arrhenius later quantifies the greenhouse effect and CO₂’s role (43:13).

Modern Rediscovery

• Foote’s work was largely ignored in mainstream histories until renewed attention in the 21st century, especially after Raymond Sorensen’s 2011 paper (44:13–45:28).
• Earlier academic sources did reference Foote’s scientific contributions (46:32–47:50).
• A short film, "Eunice," was released in 2018 (47:50).

Memorable Moments & Notable Quotes

• On Women’s Role in Science:
  "The association did allow women as members...although again, there were certainly men in the AAAS who considered women more like companions and ornaments for the male membership than participants..." (26:31, Tracy)
• Henry’s Preface:
  “Science was of no country and of no sex. The sphere of woman embraces not only the beautiful and the useful, but the true." (29:45)
• Sexist Backlash (Anthropos, U.S. Magazine):
  "...displaying the last new bonnet and the richest lace on the side seats, or perhaps whispering and tittering over some trifling, ludicrous incident in the proceedings..." (39:40)
• Hosts’ Commentary:
  “It started so good, and then it lands with, why are you so dingy, women?” (40:44, Holly)
• Significance of Foote’s Contribution:
  “The significance of this wasn’t really understood at the time, but this makes Eunice Newton Foote the first person to connect carbon dioxide and water vapor, which we know today as greenhouse gases, to the Earth's climate and the possibility of a warmer planet.” (25:47, Tracy)

Important Segments / Timestamps

• 02:14 – Present-day political context for climate science
• 05:19–07:32 – Early life and scientific education
• 08:37–09:21 – Involvement in Seneca Falls Convention
• 10:17–11:54 – Patents and inventive pursuits
• 19:52–21:44 – Introduction to AAAS, presentation context
• 23:28–25:47 – Synopsis of Foote’s experiments and findings
• 26:31–30:05 – Gender dynamics within AAAS, Joseph Henry’s remarks
• 36:34–38:28 – Press coverage and societal attitudes
• 41:41–44:13 – Scientific legacy and attribution issues
• 44:13–47:57 – Modern rediscovery and continuing efforts for recognition

Conclusion

Episode Takeaway:
Eunice Newton Foote was a pioneering scientist whose ingenious experiments anticipated the greenhouse effect and the relationship between atmospheric CO₂ and climate. Despite her groundbreaking contributions, she was overshadowed by men in the fields of both science and history, due in no small part to the prevailing gender biases of her era. Modern researchers and advocates are only recently restoring her place in the scientific narrative.

For More:

• Watch the 2018 short film “Eunice.”
• Consult Raymond Sorensen’s papers and the citations in women's science education history.

Final Thought:
The story of Eunice Newton Foote is emblematic of how scientific progress depends as much on who tells the story as on who does the work—making episodes like this essential listening for history fans and climate advocates alike.