Willard Frank Libby

Willard Frank Libby was an American chemist best known for developing carbon-14 dating, a groundbreaking technique used to determine the age of ancient organic materials. Introduced in the late 1940s, this method measures the amount of carbon-14, a radioactive isotope, remaining in fossils and archaeological finds. Libby’s work revolutionized fields such as archaeology and geology by providing a scientific means to date artifacts and understand historical timelines. For his contributions, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1960, significantly advancing our knowledge of the past. His legacy continues to impact science today.