Dr. Mario Molina was a renowned chemist and environmental scientist who made significant contributions to our understanding of the ozone layer and the impacts of human activity on the environment. Born on March 19, 1943, in Mexico City, Molina passed away on October 7, 2020, at the age of 77. Today Dr. Mario Molina’s birthday and google doodle celebrate his birthday as respect of famous scientist.
Early Life and Education
Mario Molina grew up in a family of scientists. His father, Roberto Molina Pasquel, was a Mexican diplomat who had a degree in chemistry, and his mother, Leonor Henríquez de Molina, was a homemaker with a degree in microbiology. Growing up in a family that valued science, Mario Molina became interested in chemistry at a young age and decided to pursue it as a career.
After earning his bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the National Autonomous University of Mexico in 1965, Molina moved to the United States to pursue a graduate degree in chemistry at the University of California, Berkeley. He earned his Ph.D. in 1972 and went on to complete a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of California, Irvine.
Contributions to Science
Throughout his career, Dr. Molina made significant contributions to our understanding of the chemical reactions that occur in the atmosphere and their impact on the environment. In the 1970s, he and his colleague F. Sherwood Rowland discovered that chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which were widely used in refrigeration and aerosol sprays, were damaging the ozone layer.
Their research showed that CFCs were breaking down ozone molecules, which could lead to an increase in skin cancer and other health problems. Molina and Rowland’s work led to the eventual ban of CFCs and other ozone-depleting substances under the Montreal Protocol, a global agreement signed in 1987 to protect the ozone layer.
Molina’s research also highlighted the role of other human activities, such as the burning of fossil fuels, in contributing to climate change. In 2005, he co-authored a report for the United Nations that outlined the potential impacts of climate change, including rising sea levels, more frequent extreme weather events, and the loss of biodiversity.
Throughout his career, Dr. Molina received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to science, including the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1995, which he shared with Rowland and Paul J. Crutzen. He was also a member of the National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the Mexican Academy of Sciences.
Legacy and Impact
Dr. Molina’s legacy and impact on science extend beyond his groundbreaking research on the ozone layer and climate change. He was a passionate advocate for science education and outreach, working to inspire the next generation of scientists and increase public understanding of science.
Molina founded the Mario Molina Center for Energy and Environment in Mexico City, which works to promote sustainable development and reduce the impacts of climate change in Mexico and Latin America. He also served on the boards of several organizations, including the Union of Concerned Scientists, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and the Pew Center on Global Climate Change.
Throughout his career, Dr. Molina emphasized the importance of collaboration and communication in advancing scientific research and addressing environmental challenges. In an interview with Scientific American in 2012, he stated, “We need to learn how to work together, scientists from different disciplines, engineers, economists, lawyers, policy makers, and the public. The environmental problems are so complex that we cannot make progress by ourselves.
“Dr. Molina’s contributions to science and his advocacy for environmental protection have had a profound impact on our understanding of the world around us. His legacy will continue to inspire and influence scientists and environmentalists for generations to come.
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