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Naturally occurring iron oxides were used since ancient times as ochre yellow and red pigments. It was only in the 18th century that artificially prepared Prussian blue was discovered. This discovery opened up a new field of chemistry - - cyano compounds.

Uranium was discovered in 1781 by Klaproth, a pharmacist in Berlin, from the black mineral pitchblende found in Joachimsthal silver mines. Peligot in France in 1841 proved that what Klaproth isolated from pichblende was uranium oxide and not the metal. Uranium salts were used at that time to manufacture coloured glass before the discovery of its radioactivity in 1896. It became in great demand when its decay product radium was found to cure cancer. The discovery if uranium fission in 1939 was the reason for the manufacture of the first atomic bomb.

Travelling scientists certainly have contributed to advancing knowledge by communicating their observations to others. Famous professors attract students from different countries to study in their institutions and the interaction among these students is of immense importance in the diffusion of knowledge. The invention of a process for the production of aluminum is an example.

Mellor is known to chemists as the author of the monumental work on General and Inorganic Chemistry but he is also a pioneer ceramicist. It was under his direction in 1920 that the British Refractories Research Association was formed which eventually became in 1948 the British Ceramic Research Association. Mellor spent most of his professional career at Stoke-on-Trent working on pottery.