Eunice Foote (1819–1888) was an American scientist and women’s rights advocate who made significant contributions to the understanding of the greenhouse effect. She conducted experiments in the mid-19th century that demonstrated the warming effect of certain gases in the Earth’s atmosphere, particularly carbon dioxide. Her work foreshadowed the later research on the greenhouse effect and climate change.
In 1856, Foote presented her findings at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. She conducted experiments with glass cylinders containing different gases and exposed them to sunlight. Foote observed that carbonic acid gas (now known as carbon dioxide) had a greater warming effect than air or other gases. She speculated that changes in the concentration of these gases could impact the Earth’s climate.
Unfortunately, Foote’s contributions did not receive as much recognition as they deserved during her time. Her presentation was published in the conference proceedings, but her work was not widely discussed or built upon by her contemporaries.
It’s important to note that Eunice Foote’s work predates the more well-known research by John Tyndall and Svante Arrhenius on the greenhouse effect and the role of carbon dioxide in regulating Earth’s temperature. In recent years, there has been renewed interest in recognising Eunice Foote’s pioneering research and giving her the credit she deserves for her early insights into climate science.