1944 - 2019
Kary Mullis was an American biochemist born on December 28, 1944, and he is best known for inventing the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique in 1983, which revolutionized molecular biology by allowing for the amplification of specific DNA sequences. For his groundbreaking work, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1993. Mullis was also known for his unconventional views on science and his outspoken personality. He passed away on August 7, 2019.