Joseph Priestley, a British clergyman and scientist, is credited with inventing the first glass of carbonated water. In 1767, he discovered a method of infusing water with carbon dioxide by suspending a bowl of water over a beer vat at a local brewery. He found that the water acquired a pleasant, acidic taste and noted that it was refreshing. Priestley published a paper titled 'Directions for Impregnating Water with Fixed Air,' which laid the groundwork for the modern soft drink industry. A few years later, Johann Jacob Schweppe developed a process to manufacture carbonated mineral water on a commercial scale, founding the Schweppes company in 1783. This innovation turned 'fizzy' water from a scientific curiosity into a global commodity.