A British chemist, discovered
* a spongy form of platinum with remarkable gas adsorption properties.
* that even at room temperature finely divided platinum would light up from heat in presence of a mixture of coal gas and air.
* that, alcohol vapours were converted to acetic acid in presence of platinum.
* that zinc blocks would prevent corrosion of iron structure of buoys.
* a gas which he recognized as ' a new carburet of hydrogen'. It was an accidental discovery while attempting to isolate potassium metal. Therefore it was forgotten until Marceline Berthelot discovered it in 1860 and named as acetylene.
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Edmund Davy