▁processes ▁involving ▁variations ▁of ▁physics ▁were ▁not ▁revealed ▁but ▁never theless ▁manifest ▁in ▁demonstr ations ▁to ▁municipal , ▁state ▁and ▁federal ▁officials ▁and ▁engineering ▁fir ms ▁such ▁as ▁A . T . ▁K ear ney . ▁ ▁The ▁ability ▁of ▁the ▁A PC - 1 0 0 ▁to ▁convert ▁partic ulate ▁matter ▁and ▁to xic ▁g ases ▁resulting ▁from ▁the ▁burning ▁of ▁rub ber ▁t ires ▁and ▁other ▁comb ust ibles ▁to ▁steam ▁was ▁a ▁constant ▁source ▁of ▁intr igue ▁to ▁those ▁who ▁witness ed ▁its ▁operation . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 2 , ▁R uf us ▁Sto kes ▁was ▁granted ▁a ▁doctor ▁of ▁science ▁degree ▁from ▁He ed ▁University ▁in ▁Hollywood , ▁Florida ▁on ▁account ▁of ▁his ▁scientific ▁achiev ements . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 5 , ▁he ▁moved ▁to ▁Cla rem ont , ▁California , ▁where ▁he ▁died ▁of ▁mes oth eli oma , ▁an ▁as best os - related ▁disease , ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 . ▁ ▁His ▁death ▁coinc ided ▁with ▁his ▁being ▁brought ▁in ▁as ▁a ▁consult ant ▁to ▁the ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁Hyper ian ▁W aste ▁Water ▁Tre at ment ▁facility . ▁ ▁Sto kes ' ▁invent ions ▁led ▁to ▁a ▁direct ▁improvement ▁to ▁air ▁quality , ▁but ▁more ▁important ly , ▁brought ▁attention ▁to ▁the ▁idea ▁that ▁scient ists ▁could ▁work ▁to ▁reduce ▁poll ution ▁and ▁harm ful ▁g ases ▁in ▁the ▁atmosphere . ▁Not ably , ▁he ▁has ▁been ▁hon ored ▁with ▁inclusion ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Department ▁of ▁Energy