Humphry Davy

About

English chemist and inventor who most notably discovered several alkali and alkaline earth metals. In 1815, he invented the Davy Lamp, which was used in coal mines because it was a safer alternative to previous mine lamps.

Before Fame

He was an apprentice to French surgeon Bingham Borlase.

Trivia

Beginning in 1877, The Royal Society of London awarded an annual Davy Medal to an outstanding chemist.

Family Life

He was married to Grace Millet.

Associated With

He and Louis Pasteur both made important contributions to the field of chemistry.