CLAIR CAMERON PATTERSON

Clair Cameron Patterson (1922 - 1995) was a geochemist born in Iowa, USA.

Patterson developed the uranium-lead dating method and, based on lead and uranium isotopic data from the meteorite Canyon Diablo, calculated an age for the Earth of 4.55 billion years.

Beginning in 1965 with the publication of Contaminated and Natural Lead Environments of Man, Patterson tried to draw public attention to the problem of contamination of the environment and the food chain with lead from industrial sources.

Further Reading

• Patterson C. (1956) "Age of meteorites and the Earth" Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 10, 230-237
• Patterson C. (1965) "Contaminated and natural environments of man" Arch. Environ. Health 11, 344-360
• CLAIR CAMERON PATTERSON BY GEORGE R. TILTON