Short answers, pulled from the story.
Friedrich Wöhler published a paper in 1828 that synthesized urea from inorganic starting materials. This discovery proved that molecules of life could be created from non-living matter and dismantled the barrier between chemistry and biology.
Anselme Payen discovered the first enzyme diastase in 1833. This event is often cited as the starting point for the history of biochemistry alongside Eduard Buchner's 1897 demonstration of alcoholic fermentation.
Carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, calcium, and phosphorus account for almost 99% of the mass of living cells. These six elements form the foundation of life on Earth while other elements like bromine and boron are required by specific organisms.
Biochemistry categorizes the building blocks of life into carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids. Carbohydrates serve as energy sources, lipids form cell membranes, proteins act as cellular workhorses, and nucleic acids store genetic information.
James D. Watson, Francis Crick, Rosalind Franklin, and Maurice Wilkins solved the structure of DNA in the 1950s. This breakthrough revealed the double helix that stores genetic information and led to the understanding of the central dogma of molecular biology.
Colin Pitchfork was the first person convicted of murder using DNA evidence in 1988. This conviction exemplifies how biochemistry advancements have revolutionized forensic science and the application of genetic material analysis.