Michael Faraday Campaigned Against Pollution

Garbage and feces were often tossed into the River Thames as London got more populated in the nineteenth century. You can imagine how bad it smelled. Faraday was also involved in environmental science, or engineering, as it is now known. He looked into industrial pollution in Swansea and was briefed by the Royal Mint about air pollution. Seeing the unpleasant consequences to come in the near future, Faraday sent an open letter about the matter in 1855, pleading with the government to act. "We cannot hope to do so with impunity if we disregard this issue," he wrote, "and we ought not to be surprised if, before many years have passed, a hot season gives us painful proof of the foolishness of our indifference".

A scorching summer drove Londoners to hold their noses, just as Faraday prophesied. The Thames' rotten stink wafted all throughout the city during the summer of 1858, dubbed "the Great Stink." A comprehensive sewage reform measure was introduced in Parliament in response. Thus, besides being a talented scientist, one of the interesting facts about Michael Faraday is that he also has very positive contributions to society.