About
Humphry Davy, a British chemist, is a major figure in early 19th-century science. Professor at the Royal Institution from 1801, he became a celebrated lecturer there. He isolated potassium and sodium by electrolysis (1807), then calcium, strontium, barium, and magnesium (1808). He demonstrated the elementary nature of chlorine and identified iodine. In 1815, he invented the miners' safety lamp. A Fellow of the Royal Society (1803), he served as its president from 1820 to 1827. He was knighted in 1812 and created a baronet in 1818. Michael Faraday, his assistant, is considered his greatest discovery.
* 1778-12-17 — † 1829-05-28
Major works
- Researches, Chemical and Philosophical (1800)scientific work
- Elements of Chemical Philosophy (1812)scientific work
- Consolations in Travel (1830)essay
Key milestones
- 1801Appointed professor of chemistry at the Royal Institution of Great Britain.
- 1807Isolated potassium and sodium by electrolysis.
- 1815Invented the safety lamp for miners.
Themes
ElectrochemistryDiscovery of chemical elementsMining safetyScience communicationScientific mentorship
Sources: catalogues.royalsociety.org · collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk · bbc.co.uk
