Cornelius Drebbel and Robert Boyle both made important discoveries about the nature of matter during the Renaissance. What made Boyle a famous scientist while few people know of Drebbel's work? Boyle, who had a college education, was more believable than Drebbel who had never gone to college

The saying, “it’s not what you know but who you know” applies to Drebbel's life--he didn't know anyone who could make him famous.

Drebbel was under the allegiance of a king thereby he was unable to publish his work

Drebbel, an alchemist, did not keep good records while Boyle, a scientist, carefully recorded his discoveries for others to reproduce.