Jean Baptiste van Helmont

Jean Baptiste van Helmont was a 17th-century Flemish scientist and chemist known for his early experiments in establishing the principles of chemistry. He is famous for studying plant growth, demonstrating that plants gain mass mainly from water rather than soil, challenging previous ideas. Van Helmont also contributed to understanding gases, coining the term "gas" and investigating substances like carbon dioxide. His work laid foundational concepts for modern chemistry, emphasizing scientific observation and experimentation, and helped shift scientific thought away from mystical explanations toward empirical investigation.