International Historic Chemical Landmarks

Discovery of the Commercial Processes for Making Calcium Carbide and Acetylene
Eden, North Carolina, USA, and Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

In his search for a more economical way to make aluminum, Canadian inventor Thomas Leopold Willson accidentally discovered the first commercially viable process for making calcium carbide, which is used for production of acetylene gas, at a location in North Carolina. This chance discovery produced a series of products, from improved lighting in remote locations to the synthesis of a host of organic substances. Learn More.

Neil Bartlet and the Reactive Nobel Gases
University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada

Science is frequently a collaborative discipline. But sometimes, one person, working alone, makes a stunning discovery that changes a scientific field forever. Neil Bartlett, while working alone in his laboratory, demonstrated that the "inertness" of the Group VIII elements was not a fundamental law of nature as previously believed. Bartlett's discovery meant that all existing textbooks had to be rewritten. Learn More.

Antoine-Laurent Lavoisier: The Chemical Revolution
Académie des Sciences de l’Institut de France in Paris, France

Antoine-Laurent Lavoisier forever changed the practice and concepts of chemistry by forging a new series of laboratory analyses that would bring order to the chaotic centuries of Greek philosophy and medieval alchemy. Lavoisier’s work in framing the principles of modern chemistry led future generations to regard him as a founder of the science. Learn More.

Hermann Staudinger: Foundation of Polymer Science
Hermann Staudinger House at the Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry in Freiburg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany

Hermann Staudinger’s pioneering theories on the polymer structures of fibers and plastics and his later research on biological macromolecules formed the basis for countless modern developments in the fields of materials science and biosciences and supported the rapid growth of the plastics industry. For his work in the field of polymers, Staudinger was awarded the Nobel Prize for chemistry in 1953. Learn More.

Albert Szent-Györgyi: Discovery of Vitamin C
University of Szeged Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical Faculty in Szeged, Hungary

Humankind has long suffered from a lack of understanding of basic nutrition. Scurvy was among many diseases suffered due to malnutrition. It wasn’t until the 1930’s that Albert Szent-Györgyi discovered the chemical ascorbic acid—also known as Vitamin C—that enables the body to efficiently use carbohydrates, fats, and protein. His discovery was among the foundations of modern nutrition. Learn More.

C.V. Raman: The Raman Effect
Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science in Jadavpur, Calcutta, India

"I propose this evening to speak to you on a new kind of radiation or light emission from atoms and molecules." With these prophetic words, Professor C. V. Raman of Calcutta University began his lecture to the South Indian Science Association in Bangalore on March 16, 1928. Raman proceeded to describe a discovery that resulted from a deceptively simple experiment. Conducted far from the great centers of scientific research in the Western world, the results would capture the attention of scientists around the world and bring many accolades, including the Nobel Prize, to their discoverer. Learn More.

Russell Marker: “Marker Degradation” and the Development of the Mexican Steroid Hormone Industry
Pennsylvania State University’s Pond Laboratory in University Park, Pennsylvania, USA, and Syntex Laboratory in Mexico City, Mexico

Russell Marker achieved the first practical synthesis of the pregnancy hormone, progesterone, by what now is known as the "Marker Degradation." Produced from starting material in a species of Mexican yam, Marker’s progesterone eventually became the preferred precursor in the industrial preparation of the anti-inflammatory drug cortisone. Important research on sex hormones continued in Mexico, leading to the synthesis of the first useful oral contraceptive in 1951. Learn More.

The Discovery and Development of Penicillin
Alexander Fleming Laboratory Museum in London, UK

The introduction of penicillin in the 1940s, which began the era of antibiotics, has been recognized as one of the greatest advances in therapeutic medicine. The discovery of penicillin and the initial recognition of its therapeutic potential occurred in the United Kingdom, but, due to World War II, the United States played the major role in developing large-scale production of the drug, thus making a life-saving substance in limited supply into a widely available medicine. Learn More.

Joseph Priestley: Discoverer of Oxygen
Joseph Priestley House in Northumberland, Pennsylvania, USA, and Bowood House in Wiltshire, UK

When Joseph Priestley discovered oxygen in 1774, he answered age-old questions of why and how things burn. An Englishman by birth, Priestley was deeply involved in politics and religion, as well as science. When his vocal support for the American and French revolutions made remaining in his homeland dangerous, Priestley left England in 1794 and continued his work in America until his death. Learn More.

Tagamet^®: Discovery of Histamine H₂-receptor Antagonists
Smith Kline & French (now GlaxoSmithKline) research facilities Harlow, UK, and King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, USA

It’s hard to believe that, just 20 years ago, a peptic ulcer could be a life-threatening condition. The discovery of the compound cimetidine (sold under the trademark Tagamet) by researchers at Smith Kline & French in 1970 had a revolutionary impact on the treatment of this common disorder. Learn More.