France, Feb. 4 -- Antoine Lavoisier didn't just study chemistry-he transformed it Known as the Father of Modern Chemistry, he shattered old myths, discovered the role of oxygen in burning, and laid the foundation for the science we know today. His work turned chemistry into a precise and logical field, proving that every reaction follows rules. In this episode of Towering Scientists we take a look at his life and legacy.
Before Antoine Lavoisier (1743-1794), chemistry was little more than an extension of alchemy, steeped in vague ideas and mysterious substances.
Dispensing with alchemy
One of the most widely accepted theories of the time was the phlogiston theory, which suggested that when something burned, it released an invisible eleme...