John Dalton was born in 1766 in Cumbria. He was instrumental in color blindness research but he would be most noted for something else entirely. He discovered what would later be recognized as Dalton's Atomic Theory.

John Dalton was an English chemist and a meteorologist. At one point, it is believed that he was considering law or medicine for his career pursuits. However, he would go on to teach at Manchester Academy where he would become a math teacher and teach philosophy as well.

In 1800, John Dalton would become the Secretary of Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society. He would write experimental essays and he would be the first to use what he would later describe as an atomic theory.

Dalton's theory was based on several elements and largely impressed upon by two other well respected scientists. Antoine Lavoisier and William Higgins would add to the theory that would be based on five crucial points to make up what was later dubbed as Dalton's Atomic Theory.

John Dalton dedicated his life to research and the development of his ideas. He never married in his lifetime and he wasn't known to have very many acquaintances much less friends. He died in 1844 and some have considered Dalton to be one of the most influential men in history. In fact, Michael H. Hart named John Dalton as the 32nd most influential person in his 1978 book entitled The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History.