Premium Only Content

Notable Black Inventors: Emmett W. Chappelle, Exobiologist and Astrochemist
Emmett W. Chappelle was a pioneering Black exobiologist and astrochemist.
Over his lifetime, Chappelle amassed 14 U.S. patents, primarily related to his work on fluorescence and bioluminescence, and earned NASA's Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal in 1994. He was also inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2007.
He was born in 1925 in Phoenix, Arizona.
Chappelle was drafted into the U.S. Army during World War II, as part of the 92nd Infantry Division, known as the Buffalo Soldiers. The division was the only African American infantry unit to see combat in Europe.
He first obtained a bachelor’s degree in biology in 1950 from the University of California, Berkeley. Next, he taught at Meharry Medical College in Tennessee, from 1950 to 1953. Here, his research into iron recycling by red blood cells and anaphylactic shock began to gain attention.
He then went to the University of Washington and earned a master’s degree in biology in 1954.
Chappelle's innovative streak became evident when he joined the Research Institute for Advanced Studies in Baltimore in 1958.
His work there led to a significant discovery about single-celled organisms like algae, revealing their photosynthetic capabilities, which had implications for space travel by suggesting how oxygen might be generated for astronauts. This was a crucial advancement in environmental science and astrobiology.
In 1966, he joined NASA as an exobiologist and astrochemist.
His most famous contribution came from his research into bioluminescence, where he utilized chemicals from fireflies to detect adenosine triphosphate (ATP), a compound found in all living cells.
This method could potentially detect life not only on Earth but also on other planets, like in the soil samples from Mars, which was one of his tasks with the Viking spacecraft mission.
His ATP detection method was patented and became fundamental in microbiology, allowing for rapid bacterial detection in blood, urine, and food.
-
LIVE
Tucker Carlson
1 hour agoTony Aguilar Details the War Crimes He’s Witnessing in Gaza
4,682 watching -
LIVE
Badlands Media
4 hours agoBadlands Daily: July 31, 2025
2,690 watching -
LIVE
Matt Kohrs
11 hours agoHUGE Earnings Beat, Inflation Data & New Record Highs || Live Trading Options & Futures
670 watching -
19:44
Bearing
2 hours agoWorld’s CRAZIEST Feminist Wants AMERICANS to WAKE THE F*** UP 🦅💥
44118 -
LIVE
Randi Hipper
33 minutes agoUNITED STATES BITCOIN RESERVE IS COMING! WHITE HOUSE CRYPTO REPORT EXPLAINED
100 watching -
LIVE
Wendy Bell Radio
6 hours agoBurn Baby Burn
7,993 watching -
LIVE
JuicyJohns
1 hour ago $0.63 earned🟢#1 REBIRTH PLAYER 10.2+ KD🟢$500 GIVEAWAY SATURDAY!
144 watching -
LIVE
LFA TV
12 hours agoLFA TV ALL DAY STREAM - THURSDAY 7/31/25
4,208 watching -
1:02:45
Game On!
18 hours ago $2.56 earnedFootball is BACK! NFL Hall of Fame Game 2025
17.3K2 -
1:55:56
FusedAegisTV
23 hours ago3rd Party Partner Showcase Nintendo Direct! REACTION 7.31.2025 | FusedAegis Presents
13.2K