CHEMIST

Michael Polanyi

1891 - 1976

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Michael Polanyi ( poh-LAN-yee; Hungarian: Polányi Mihály; 11 March 1891 – 22 February 1976) was a Hungarian-British polymath, who made important theoretical contributions to physical chemistry, economics, and philosophy. He argued that positivism is a false account of knowing. His wide-ranging research in physical science included chemical kinetics, x-ray diffraction, and adsorption of gases. Read more on Wikipedia

Since 2007, the English Wikipedia page of Michael Polanyi has received more than 624,307 page views. His biography is available in 35 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 33 in 2019). Michael Polanyi is the 254th most popular chemist (down from 248th in 2019), the 143rd most popular biography from Hungary (down from 136th in 2019) and the 6th most popular Hungarian Chemist.

Memorability Metrics

  • 620k

    Page Views (PV)

  • 65.25

    Historical Popularity Index (HPI)

  • 35

    Languages Editions (L)

  • 6.88

    Effective Languages (L*)

  • 3.10

    Coefficient of Variation (CV)

Among CHEMISTS

Among chemists, Michael Polanyi ranks 254 out of 602. Before him are Sidney Altman, Thomas A. Steitz, Joseph L. Goldstein, Bernard Courtois, Walter Gilbert, and Andreas Libavius. After him are Kikunae Ikeda, Arieh Warshel, Dudley R. Herschbach, Emil Abderhalden, Michael Smith, and Feodor Lynen.

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Contemporaries

Among people born in 1891, Michael Polanyi ranks 42. Before him are Alexander Wienerberger, Hans Reichenbach, Yevhen Konovalets, Arthur Drewry, Max Amann, and Moïse Kisling. After him are Otto Rasch, Anton Dostler, John Langenus, Bronislava Nijinska, Olga Khokhlova, and Otto Schmidt. Among people deceased in 1976, Michael Polanyi ranks 57. Before him are Carlo Gambino, Karl Schmidt-Rottluff, Carol Reed, Ivan Yakubovsky, Silvana Armenulić, and Mitsuo Fuchida. After him are Lin Yutang, Lee J. Cobb, Mikhail Gurevich, Arnold Gehlen, Walter Warlimont, and Walther von Seydlitz-Kurzbach.

Others Born in 1891

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Others Deceased in 1976

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In Hungary

Among people born in Hungary, Michael Polanyi ranks 143 out of 1,077. Before him are Georg Solti (1912), Mária Telkes (1900), Katalin Novák (1977), Arthur Nikisch (1855), Ferenc Deák (1803), and Béla Tarr (1955). After him are György Sárosi (1912), Brassaï (1899), Gyula Lóránt (1923), Leopold Auer (1845), Nikolaus Lenau (1802), and Ágnes Keleti (1921).

Others born in Hungary

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Among CHEMISTS In Hungary

Among chemists born in Hungary, Michael Polanyi ranks 6. Before him are George de Hevesy (1885), Katalin Karikó (1955), Avram Hershko (1937), George Andrew Olah (1927), and Mária Telkes (1900). After him are Elizabeth Roboz Einstein (1904).

Hungarian born Chemists

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