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by vidarh 2443 days ago
CO2 was first hypothesized specifically as a gas making up the difference in mass between charcoal and the remnants of burning it in the 1600's by Jan Baptist van Helmont[1].

That respiration of animals emits CO2 was determined at least by the 1750's.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_Baptist_van_Helmont