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. Read more on Wikipedia

Since 2007, the English Wikipedia page of Kary Mullis has received more than 2,414,647 page views. His biography is available in 61 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 53 in 2019). Kary Mullis is the 156th most popular chemist (down from 60th in 2019), the 1,000th most popular biography from United States (down from 514th in 2019) and the 26th most popular American Chemist.

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

Memorability Metrics

  • 2.4M

    Page Views (PV)

  • 62.63

    Historical Popularity Index (HPI)

  • 61

    Languages Editions (L)

  • 5.48

    Effective Languages (L*)

  • 4.53

    Coefficient of Variation (CV)

Among CHEMISTS

Among chemists, Kary Mullis ranks 156 out of 602. Before him are Edmond H. Fischer, Julius Axelrod, Yves Chauvin, Georg Ernst Stahl, Johann Deisenhofer, and George Porter. After him are Karl Barry Sharpless, Robert Huber, Jerome Karle, John Frederic Daniell, Bengt I. Samuelsson, and Harry Kroto.

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Contemporaries

Among people born in 1944, Kary Mullis ranks 75. Before him are Klaus Nomi, Claudia Mori, Bernhard Schlink, Jonathan Demme, Gérard Mourou, and Nǃxau ǂToma. After him are Ashraf Marwan, R. Lee Ermey, W. G. Sebald, Gianni Morandi, Günter Netzer, and Thein Sein. Among people deceased in 2019, Kary Mullis ranks 46. Before him are Tony Buzan, Jean, Grand Duke of Luxembourg, Giya Kancheli, Lennart Johansson, Franco Columbu, and Raymond Poulidor. After him are Li Peng, Prem Tinsulanonda, Yasuhiro Nakasone, Ágnes Heller, Fernando de la Rúa, and Ferdinand Piëch.

Others Born in 1944

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Others Deceased in 2019

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In United States

Among people born in United States, Kary Mullis ranks 1,000 out of 20,380. Before him are Mel Ferrer (1917), Tori Amos (1963), Daniel Goleman (1946), Anton LaVey (1930), Tony Bennett (1926), and Roger Zelazny (1937). After him are John Gotti (1940), Sherwood Anderson (1876), Karl Barry Sharpless (1941), John Franklin Enders (1897), Jerry Bruckheimer (1943), and Louise Fletcher (1934).

Others born in United States

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Among CHEMISTS In United States

Among chemists born in United States, Kary Mullis ranks 26. Before him are William Howard Stein (1911), Glenn T. Seaborg (1912), Willard Libby (1908), Christian B. Anfinsen (1916), Arthur Kornberg (1918), and Julius Axelrod (1912). After him are Karl Barry Sharpless (1941), Jerome Karle (1918), Paul Flory (1910), Robert F. Furchgott (1916), Robert W. Holley (1922), and Richard F. Heck (1931).

American born Chemists

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