 Joseph Priestley

Joseph Priestley (1733-1804) was an English theologian, chemist, and philosopher known for his work in various fields, particularly in chemistry and natural philosophy. He is best remembered for his discovery of oxygen in 1774, although he did not identify it as an element at the time. Priestley referred to the gas he discovered as "dephlogisticated air," and he conducted a series of experiments that demonstrated its role in supporting combustion and respiration.