Original: History The earliest microplate was created in 1951 by a Hungarian, Dr. G. Takatsky, who machined 6 rows of 12 "wells" in Lucite.
Simplified: History The first microplate was made in 1951 by a Hungarian man called Dr. G. Takatsky, who made a microtiter plate with 6 rows of 12 wells (so 72 wells).