Footeprint
Eunice Newton Foote at the Dawn of Climate Science and Women's Rights
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- Pedido anticipado
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- Se espera: 10 feb 2026
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- USD 10.99
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- Pedido anticipado
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- USD 10.99
Descripción editorial
A fascinating historical novel-in-verse for young adults capturing the discoveries of Eunice Foote, a remarkable woman in science WAY ahead of her time.
A fictionalized account of the first woman to identify carbon dioxide as a cause of climate change in 1856 when most people preferred that women be seen rather than heard.
Fictionalized only to weave together some unknown pieces of Eunice's life, this is a journey through time, triumph, trepidation, and trauma, revealing the extraordinary life and work of Eunice Newton Foote.
Eunice’s most important discovery was recognizing the effect of excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere: a warming planet. But in a society driven by coal, kerosene, and crude oil, Eunice’s warnings went unheeded. After all, who would listen to a woman—especially a woman known to consort with suffragists?
From the Seneca Falls Convention to the halls of the US Patent Office in Washington, DC, Eunice Newton Foote blazed a trail for independence and inquiry. Today Eunice’s discoveries feel ever more prescient. She knew that reliance on fossil fuels would have a devastating effect. Today she is finally receiving the credit she deserves.
Eunice Newton Foote's extraordinary tale is told in novel-in-verse format, perfect for teenagers interested in STEM.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Using unadorned verse, Metcalf (Tomatoes on Trial) chronicles the experiences of scientist Eunice Newton Foote (1819–1888) combatting gender discrimination to pursue patents for her groundbreaking inventions in this comprehensive fictionalized biography of an overlooked pioneer. Born in Goshen, Conn., Foote—the youngest of 12 and cousin of Sir Isaac Newton—is raised in a science-minded family ("Justice & science/ fold into curious Eunice,/ mold into her bones"). At 15, she attends Troy Female Seminary, the country's first school for women's higher education. In 1841, she marries attorney Elisha Foote and, in 1842, invents a device that regulates the heat of stoves. Aware of the scientific community's prejudice against women, Foote shares her ideas by whatever means she can, including applying for patents under her husband's name. And when Irish scientist John Tyndall is credited with launching initial investigations into climate science in 1859, Metcalf challenges that accreditation in a poem titled "Combustion," employing forthright lines to detail Foote's own experiments on greenhouse gases and her subsequent findings, which were presented to the American Association of the Advancement of Science in 1856—three years before Tyndall. Diligently researched passages highlight the accomplishments of a female scientist only recently being recognized for her discoveries. Back matter includes an author's note, family tree, bibliography, and more. Ages 12–up.
