Who developed the three domain system of classification?

The three-domain system of classification was developed by Carl Woese, an American microbiologist, in 1990. Woese’s groundbreaking work utilized molecular data, particularly ribosomal RNA sequences, to classify organisms. His research revealed that prokaryotes consist of two distinct groups—Archaea and Bacteria—leading to a reorganization of the traditional five-kingdom model. This classification system has since become widely accepted in the scientific community for its accuracy in reflecting evolutionary relationships.