The invention of air and green science
On a road trip two weekends ago, I listened to The Invention of Air by Steven Johnson which is primarily a biography about Joseph Priestley and his discovery of oxygen. 
This discovery, like most, was found by accident when he was trying to see how long a plant would live in a vacuum. Unlike the mouse, the plant survived in the vacuum. Then he put the mouse in with the plant and both lived. Thus, Priestley discovered that plants produced a substance in air, what we now know as oxygen, that would keep the animal alive. Some of the most interesting details of Priestley’s background was 1) he was not formally trained as a scientist, but was a clergyman and 2) he fostered his ‘hobby’ of science due to benefactors who provided a living wage and 3) he regularly attended a coffeehouse in England where he discussed scientific ideas with a diverse group of scientists and intellectuals. Ben Franklin was one among this group. In fact, Franklin wrote about Priestley’s discovery of ‘air’ and claimed that plants provide a substance that is necessary to sustain life on this earth. I was thrilled to learn that one of the founding fathers of our country recognized the importance of sustainability! Thus, I believe both Franklin and Priestley may have been among the first to recognize the importance of ‘green’ science and sustainability. It is also important to recognize how scientific ideas and concepts are born from interaction and discussion among others who share differing viewpoints. Has science become too insular? Does the need for IP restrict the freedom of sharing scientific ideas amongst peers? I welcome other’s thoughts on this!
