World Model · podcast knowledge graph

The Inventor who Almost Ended the World (Classic)

2026-05-22 · 37 min · episode 21 · 6 entities

Asserted relationships

  • → hosted by Pushkin Industries person
    0.55
    evidence rules-v5
    Feed author/publisher: Pushkin Industries
  • → discusses Society & Culture concept
    0.40
    evidence rules-v5
    Feed category: Society & Culture
  • → discusses History website
    0.40
    evidence rules-v5
    Feed category: History

Entities found in this episode

persons 2

  • mentioned Pushkin Industries person
    0.70
    evidence rules-v5
    Feed author/publisher: Pushkin Industries
  • hosted by Pushkin Industries person
    0.55
    evidence rules-v5
    Feed author/publisher: Pushkin Industries

concepts 2

  • mentioned Society & Culture concept
    0.50
    evidence rules-v5
    Feed category: Society & Culture
  • discusses Society & Culture concept
    0.40
    evidence rules-v5
    Feed category: Society & Culture

websites 2

  • mentioned History website
    0.50
    evidence rules-v5
    Feed category: History
  • discusses History website
    0.40
    evidence rules-v5
    Feed category: History
Episode description as stored
Thomas Midgley's inventions caused his own death, hastened the deaths of millions of people around the world, and very nearly extinguished all life on land. Midgley and his employers didn't set out to poison the air with leaded gasoline or wreck the ozone layer with CFCs - but while these dire consequences were unintended... could they have been anticipated? For a list of sources, see the show notes at timharford.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.