A Chemical Prodigy

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Child prodigies often fade into normal adults.  Not so the chemical pioneer, Joseph Priestley.  Born in Yorkshire, England in 1733, Priestley mastered Greek, Latin, Hebrew and Arabic by age sixteen.  He was also teaching himself French, Italian, German and studying philosophy.

In his early thirties he met Benjamin Franklin, which inspired him to turn to science.  He began research first in the electricity, then chemistry, and as well became a minister.

Priestley's church provided lodgings for him next to a brewery.  Priestley began investigating the smell from the brewery and soon discovered carbon dioxide, which he used to make soda water.  This laid the foundation for our modern soft drink industry.

After this, Priestley really got into gases big time.  He discovered nitrous oxide which became known as laughing gas.  It was popular at parties and provided relief to dental patients.

In August 1774, Priestley made the discovery for which he is most famous - oxygen.  Using a lens to focus sunlight on some mercury oxide, he formed silver coloured mercury and a colourless gas.  He observed that this gas made candles burn vigorously.  Priestley then tested the gas, which he called dephlogisticated air, on some mice and on himself.  He reported it gave him a surge of energy.

So, next time you take a deep breath of oxygen, remember the young genius who first discovered the gas that sustains life.