CHEMIST

Kary Mullis

1944 - 2019

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Kary Banks Mullis (December 28, 1944 – August 7, 2019) was an American biochemist. In recognition of his role in the invention of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique, he shared the 1993 Nobel Prize in Chemistry with Michael Smith and was awarded the Japan Prize in the same year. PCR became a central technique in biochemistry and molecular biology, described by The New York Times as "highly original and significant, virtually dividing biology into the two epochs of before PCR and after PCR." Mullis downplayed humans' role in climate change, expressed doubt that HIV is the cause of AIDS, and professed a belief in astrology and the paranormal. He also practiced clandestine chemistry by producing LSD. Mullis's unscientific statements about topics outside his area of expertise have been named by Skeptical Inquirer as an instance of "Nobel disease". Read more on Wikipedia

His biography is available in different languages on Wikipedia. Kary Mullis is the 249th most popular chemist (down from 156th in 2019), the 1,512th most popular biography from United States (down from 1,000th in 2019) and the 57th most popular American Chemist.

Kary Mullis is most famous for inventing the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique, which is used to amplify DNA sequences.

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Among CHEMISTS

Among chemists, Kary Mullis ranks 249 out of 602. Before him are Nicolas Leblanc, Walter Gilbert, Arieh Warshel, Henri Victor Regnault, Luis Federico Leloir, and Mario J. Molina. After him are Emil Abderhalden, Jacques Dubochet, Ryōji Noyori, Johan August Arfwedson, Richard Smalley, and Carolyn R. Bertozzi.

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Contemporaries

Among people born in 1944, Kary Mullis ranks 98. Before him are Sam Elliott, Bora Milutinović, Nebahat Çehre, Klaus Nomi, Andrew S. Tanenbaum, and Moe Tucker. After him are W. G. Sebald, Killing of Peter Fechter, Karin Schubert, Salvador Sánchez Cerén, Jeroen Krabbé, and Ian McDiarmid. Among people deceased in 2019, Kary Mullis ranks 62. Before him are Yasuhiro Nakasone, Godfried Danneels, Sigmund Jähn, Ferdinand Piëch, Fernando de la Rúa, and Zhores Alferov. After him are Tony Buzan, Alan García, Franco Columbu, Raymond Poulidor, Paul Greengard, and Danny Aiello.

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In United States

Among people born in United States, Kary Mullis ranks 1,512 out of 20,380. Before him are Chris Evert (1954), Muddy Waters (1913), Tom Berenger (1949), John Denver (1943), Phil Hill (1927), and Andie MacDowell (1958). After him are Jerry Bruckheimer (1943), Sarah Knauss (1880), Jerry Lee Lewis (1935), Francis Gary Powers (1929), Arthur Ashe (1943), and James Van Allen (1914).

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Among CHEMISTS In United States

Among chemists born in United States, Kary Mullis ranks 57. Before him are Robert F. Furchgott (1916), Karl Barry Sharpless (1941), Paul Lauterbur (1929), Stanley Miller (1930), James B. Conant (1893), and Walter Gilbert (1932). After him are Richard Smalley (1943), Carolyn R. Bertozzi (1966), Alfred G. Gilman (1941), Stephanie Kwolek (1923), Martin Rodbell (1925), and Dudley R. Herschbach (1932).

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