Humphry Davy was a British chemist and inventor who lived from 1778 to 1829. He is best known for his work on the isolation of elements such as potassium, sodium, calcium, strontium, and barium. Davy also discovered the anesthetic properties of nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas. His work in the field of electrochemistry led to the development of the first electric light, known as the Davy lamp, which was used to prevent explosions in coal mines. Davy's contributions to science and technology have had a lasting impact and he is considered one of the most influential chemists of his time.