The Book, Cat, & Cat Book Lovers Almanac

of historical trivia regarding books, cats, and other animals. Actually this blog has evolved so that it is described better as a blog about cats in history and culture. And we take as a theme the advice of Aldous Huxley: If you want to be a writer, get some cats. Don't forget to see the archived articles linked at the bottom of the page.

September 28, 2009

Sept. 28, 1980

On September 28, 1980, the 13 part series "Cosmos" first aired on public television. It made a media star of a scientist, Carl Sagan. In a later book, "Billions and Billions,Thoughts on Life and Death at the Brink of the Millenium," Sagan would sketch out the conumdrum that led American and German scientists to invent the ozone destroying Freon. It turned out that the chemicals used to allow refrigeration, in the 1920s, were poisonous gases like ammonia, and thus a search for an inert chemical began, a chemical which was not "...flammable, doesn't corrode, burn your eyes, attract bugs, or even bother the cat."

In outlining the ironic story of the invention of Freon, is Sagan blaming cats for climate change?
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