Liquid crystal was discovered by an Austrian biologist, Fredreich Rheinizer, in 1888. While observing the melting process of certain organic material that related to cholesterol, he found out that the material goes through two different phases.

The material first changed into a cloudy liquid when heated to 145.5°C and then changed into a clear liquid when heated to 178.5°C This observation marked the discovery of liquid crystal. When German physicist O. Lehmann heard about Rheinizer's discovery, he began researching and performing experiments on this material.

Finally, Lehmann discovered that this cloudy liquid has a regular array that is unlike that of any other liquid. Lehmann named this material "Liquid Crystal" since the liquid possessed a crystal-like structure.