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It's April 6, 1938. In a lab in deep-water, New Jersey, Roy Plunkett lays out a series of glass beakers.

He grabs a rubber hose and attaches it to a steel cylinder. And as he checks the readings on his equipment, he gets a brief flicker of excitement.

The same feeling of thrill, he gets every morning he walks into work.

Plunkett is a chemist for DuPont, one of the largest chemical corporations in America.

He's 27 years old and has only been with a company a couple of years.

But with his neatly parted hair and white button down shirt, he likes to think he fits in,

and that he's doing his part to advance the world's understanding of chemistry.

Of course, the work isn't easy. Recently, Plunkett has been trying to create a new type of refrigerant that can be used in products like air conditioners.

The refrigerant needs to be safe and non-toxic, and it also needs to be viable to produce on an industrial scale, allowing DuPont to keep its edge in the industry.

But so far, Plunkett hasn't made any big discovery. And after months of experiments, he's running out of options.

Still, he knows there's nothing he can do except plow ahead and try yet again.

Plunkett looks up as Jack Reebok, his assistant, enters the lab.

Hey Doc, what's on the agenda today? We try and TFE?

That's right, Jack, but I'm nervous.

Tetch a floor, ethylene. It's not easy to get a hold of.

Gosh, it's expensive.

Oh, we've tried everything else.

Oh no. Well, but maybe we'll get lucky.

I mean, we just gotta keep pushing forward.

Progress. That's the name of the game at DuPont.

Plunkett nods, and the two men begin a familiar routine.

...