The OP mentions the work of Claire Patterson [1], who first measured the age of the Earth using relative abundances of lead isotopes in ancient rock samples. H

The OP mentions the work of Claire Patterson [1], who first measured the age of the Earth using relative abundances of lead isotopes in ancient rock samples. He found it very hard to do, because the samples he used were getting contaminated with atmospheric lead, and had to build the first clean room to measure the samples properly. Atmospheric lead came from tetraethyl lead in gasoline. He spent decades campaigning against it, and came close to having his academic career destroyed by stooges paid the Ethyl Corporation[2]. Through sheer persistence and strength of character, he managed to get lead additives banned a few years before his death. 1. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clair_Cameron_Patterson https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clair_Cameron_Patterson 2. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethyl_Corporation https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethyl_Corporation