Google Doodle is honoring the 80th birthday of Dr. Mario Molina, a Mexican chemist who won the Nobel Prize and played a critical role in preserving the ozone layer.
As a child, Molina was passionate about science and converted his bathroom into a makeshift laboratory.
He went on to study at the University of California, Berkeley and Massachusetts Institute of Technology before beginning his research on the impact of synthetic chemicals on Earth’s atmosphere in the early 1970s.
His research led to the discovery that chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) were causing damage to Earth’s ozone layer. This discovery prompted governments around the world to come together and take action to protect the planet’s ozone layer.
What other research has Dr. Mario Molina conducted?
In addition to his research on CFCs and ozone depletion, Mario Molina also conducted experiments on pollutants in the atmosphere investigated the distribution of internal energy in the products of chemical and photochemical reactions, studied chemical dynamics,and completed a hypothetical study based on computer modeling.He also received the highest accolades available to science for his work.
What awards has Dr. Mario Molina received for his work?
Mario Molina has received numerous awards and honors for his work, including the 1995 Nobel Prize in Chemistry which he shared with Paul J. Crutzen and F. Sherwood Rowland..He was also elected to the United States National Academy of Sciences in 1993.