Why has Humphry Davy been called Michael Faraday’s greatest discoverer?

Humphry Davy is often called Michael Faraday’s greatest discovery because of the pivotal role he played in launching Faraday’s scientific career.

After Faraday attended Sir Humphry Davy’s chemical lectures at the Royal Institution and sent him a bound copy of his notes, Davy did not immediately have an opening for him. However, when one of his laboratory assistants was dismissed, Davy remembered Faraday and offered him a job.1

By hiring Faraday as his laboratory assistant, Davy provided him with the opportunity to learn chemistry at the side of one of the most prominent scientists of the era. This mentorship allowed Faraday to master laboratory techniques and chemical analysis, providing the essential foundation for his own later groundbreaking work in physics and electricity.21