Chemistry is a science thanks to Antoine Lavoisier, the father of modern chemistry. His researches included the discovery of oxygen and hydrogen as components of water, that air was composed of different gases, an extensive list of chemical elements that was the basis of the Periodic Table. He also helped in the establishment of metric system and to set relevance to biology. But his main discovery is the Law of Conservation of Mass that proved that whatever changes of shape or form a matter suffers, its mass remains always the same.
He was born in Paris (France) in August 26th, 1743. He initially studied laws but soon abandoned its practice and oriented his interest in science, successfully entering the French Academy as a member in 1768. He did not only scientific research, but also worked for the French Government in military, commercial and treasury projects.
His methods were the basis of modern chemistry and let it became a science itself and delete its classical association with alchemy. Lavoisier achieved it by planning all his experiments in detail, taking care of obtaining empiric results on every task he assumed, which led him to get determinant proofs of his works.
But his relevant scientific role didn’t save him of being arrested and judged in 1793 during the French Revolution because of his actions as a tax collector.
While in jail, he was visited by relevant French and foreign scientists that strongly tried to convince the judge to forgive him. But even showing the court all the progress science has done by Lavoisier, it didn’t change the judge opinion a bit. They just replied that “the French Republic doesn’t need wise men” and finally considered Lavoisier guilty of treason. At the age of 50, on May 8th, 1794, Antoine Lavoisier was executed on guillotine.