Sir Humphry Davy (1778-1829), British chemist. Davy was born and educated at Penzance, Cornwall. Davy was a pioneer in the field of electrolysis. He also invented the Davy lamp, a safety lamp for miners, which shielded a candle flame with gauze to help prevent the ignition of flammable gases. He discovered several elements including barium, potassium, sodium, magnesium, calcium and iodine. Between 1801 and 1812 he was professor of the Royal Institution, London, and delivered a popular lecture series on scientific principles. He was knighted in 1812 and awarded a baronetcy in 1818.