Mario Molina
Who was Mario Molina?
Mexican chemist who shared the 1995 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work on the depletion of the ozone layer by chlorofluorocarbons.
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Mario Molina (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Mario José Molina-Pasquel Henríquez was born on March 19, 1943, in Mexico City, Mexico. His parents, Roberto Molina-Pasquel, a lawyer and diplomat, and Leonor Henríquez, encouraged his early interest in science with chemistry sets and microscopes. Molina completed his undergraduate studies in chemical engineering at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) in 1965. He then studied physical chemistry at the University of Freiburg in Germany, earning his degree in 1967. He moved on to the University of California, Berkeley, where he completed his doctoral research on chemical laser dynamics under George C. Pimentel in 1972.
Molina's important research began during his postdoctoral work with F. Sherwood Rowland at the University of California, Irvine, in 1973. They studied the atmospheric effects of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), used in products like refrigerants and aerosol propellants. Their research showed that CFCs released into the atmosphere eventually reach the stratosphere, where ultraviolet radiation breaks them down, releasing chlorine atoms that destroy ozone molecules. This discovery, published in Nature in 1974, showed that human-made chemicals could severely damage the Earth's ozone layer.
Initially, there was skepticism and resistance to Molina and Rowland's findings from industry and some government officials. However, their work helped understand how industrial chemicals could cause global environmental harm. Molina continued his research at institutions like the Jet Propulsion Laboratory at Caltech, focusing on the reactions important to atmospheric chemistry. He later taught at the University of California, Irvine, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, expanding his research to urban air pollution and atmospheric chemistry.
In 1995, Molina, along with F. Sherwood Rowland and Paul J. Crutzen, won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their work on atmospheric chemistry, particularly related to ozone. This made Molina the first Mexican-born scientist to earn a Nobel Prize in Chemistry. His research played a key role in the Montreal Protocol of 1987, which phased out ozone-depleting substances. Molina stayed active in research and environmental advocacy until he passed away from a heart attack in Mexico City on October 7, 2020, at age 77.
Before Fame
Growing up in a wealthy family in Mexico City, Molina was interested in science from a young age, thanks to his diplomat father and supportive mother. His aunt, Esther Molina, a chemist, also played a big role in his career by introducing him to lab work when he was young. After getting his chemical engineering degree at UNAM, he found the research options in Mexico limiting, so he decided to study further in Europe and the United States.
The 1960s and early 1970s were times of increasing environmental awareness, which coincided with Molina's graduate studies. Rachel Carson's 'Silent Spring' was published in 1962, and the first Earth Day took place in 1970, raising public awareness about environmental issues. However, the atmosphere was still mostly seen as limitless when it came to industrial emissions, and there was little understanding of the complex chemistry of the stratosphere, which set the scene for Molina's groundbreaking work.
Key Achievements
- Discovered that chlorofluorocarbons deplete the stratospheric ozone layer
- Awarded the 1995 Nobel Prize in Chemistry with F. Sherwood Rowland and Paul J. Crutzen
- Research directly led to the Montreal Protocol banning ozone-depleting substances
- First Mexican-born scientist to win the Nobel Prize in Chemistry
- Advanced understanding of atmospheric chemistry and urban air pollution
Did You Know?
- 01.He initially wanted to play with toy microscopes and chemistry sets as a child, converting his bathroom into a makeshift laboratory
- 02.His 1974 paper with Rowland was initially rejected by several journals before being published in Nature
- 03.He was playing tennis when he received the call informing him of his Nobel Prize win
- 04.Molina testified before the U.S. Congress multiple times about ozone depletion and climate change policy
- 05.He established the Mario Molina Center for Energy and Environment in Mexico City to promote sustainable development policies
Awards & Honors
| Award | Year | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Nobel Prize in Chemistry | 1995 | for their work in atmospheric chemistry, particularly concerning the formation and decomposition of ozone |
Nobel Prizes
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