who invented carbonated water

Joseph Priestley is generally credited with inventing carbonated water in 1767, when he discovered how to infuse water with carbon dioxide in Leeds, England. Earlier scientists, including William Brownrigg, had explored similar ideas, but Priestley’s work is the one most often recognized as the true invention.

How it happened

Priestley’s discovery was partly accidental. He suspended water over a beer vat, let it absorb the gas from fermentation, and found the result pleasantly fizzy. He later described the process in a paper titled Impregnating Water with Fixed Air.

Why Priestley gets the credit

• He was the first to clearly document the method.

• He showed that water could be deliberately carbonated, not just naturally sparkling.

• His work helped inspire later commercial production, including Schweppes.

TL;DR

Carbonated water is usually credited to Joseph Priestley in 1767, though a few earlier researchers had touched on the idea.