Thomas Midgley Jr. was born in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, to Thomas Midgley Sr., an inventor, and Hattie L. Emerson. His father's background in invention likely influenced Midgley's own career path, fostering a passion for problem-solving and technological innovation from a young age.

Midgley graduated from Cornell University with a degree in mechanical engineering. This formal education provided him with the foundational knowledge and skills necessary to tackle complex engineering challenges, setting the stage for his future inventions and contributions to the field of chemistry.

Midgley began working for DELCO, a subsidiary of General Motors (GM), where he was tasked with finding a solution to the problem of engine knocking. This issue was a major impediment to the development of more powerful and efficient internal combustion engines, and it presented a significant opportunity for innovation.

After extensive research and experimentation, Midgley discovered that tetraethyllead (TEL) was an incredibly effective anti-knock agent. Adding TEL to gasoline dramatically reduced engine knocking, allowing for higher compression ratios and more powerful engines. This discovery revolutionized the automotive industry, but its long-term health and environmental consequences were not yet understood.

General Motors and Standard Oil established the Ethyl Corporation to produce and market TEL-infused gasoline. Despite growing concerns about the potential toxicity of lead, the corporation aggressively promoted Ethyl gasoline, and Midgley himself played a key role in defending its safety, even staging public demonstrations of his supposed resilience to lead poisoning. The lack of regulation and widespread adoption of leaded gasoline exposed millions to harmful levels of lead, leading to significant public health problems.

Midgley was tasked with developing a new, non-toxic refrigerant to replace dangerous and flammable substances like ammonia, chloromethane, and sulfur dioxide used in early refrigerators. This assignment arose from a growing awareness of the dangers associated with existing refrigerants, motivating the search for safer alternatives.

Midgley and his team synthesized dichlorodifluoromethane, the first chlorofluorocarbon (CFC). Marketed as Freon, CFCs were hailed as a revolutionary non-toxic and non-flammable refrigerant. They quickly became widely adopted in refrigerators, air conditioners, and aerosol propellants. However, the long-term effects of CFCs on the ozone layer were completely unknown at the time.

Midgley contracted polio, which left him severely disabled. This event significantly impacted his quality of life and required him to adapt to new challenges.

Due to his polio-induced disability, Midgley invented an elaborate system of ropes and pulleys to help him get in and out of bed. This invention reflects his continued ingenuity and problem-solving skills, even in the face of personal adversity.

Tragically, Midgley died by strangulation caused by his own invention. Whether this was accidental or intentional remains uncertain, but the circumstances surrounding his death underscore the complex ironies and unintended consequences that characterized his life and work. He was a brilliant inventor whose creations, intended to improve lives, ultimately contributed to significant environmental and public health crises.