What Historical Event Led to the Birth of Modern Chemistry?

One of the most significant turning points in history that shaped modern chemistry occurred in the late 18th century with the work of Antoine Lavoisier, often referred to as the "Father of Modern Chemistry." Lavoisier challenged the long-held phlogiston theory, which posited that a substance called phlogiston was released during combustion. Through meticulous experimentation, he demonstrated that combustion involves the chemical reaction of a substance with oxygen, leading to the formulation of the law of conservation of mass. His groundbreaking publication, "Elementary Treatise on Chemistry" in 1789, redefined chemical nomenclature and laid the foundation for modern chemistry as a systematic science based on observation and experimentation. This shift in understanding not only revolutionized the field but also paved the way for future scientific discoveries, fundamentally changing how we perceive and interact with the material world.