Carl Woese

Carl Woese was a microbiologist who revolutionized our understanding of the tree of life. By analyzing ribosomal RNA, he discovered a third domain of life: the Archaea. This finding fundamentally changed the biological classification system, which had previously only recognized bacteria and eukaryotes. His work demonstrated that life is far more diverse than previously thought and provided a new molecular basis for evolutionary studies.

Woese's discovery is considered one of the most significant in the history of biology, as it redefined the fundamental relationships between all living organisms on Earth.