Answer
Richard Smalley, Robert Curl and Harold Kroto were the three scientists who discovered the Buckminsterfullerene in 1985. The Buckminsterfullerene is a molecule of carbon in the form of a sphere with 60 carbon atoms arranged in a pattern similar to that of a soccer ball. The discovery of the Buckminsterfullerene was a major breakthrough in the field of chemistry and led to the development of new materials with unique properties.