Google Doodle: Who was Dr. Mario Molina? Here's all you need to know!
By Srikanto Mandal
19 March, 2023
Photo Credit: nature
Dr. Molina, a Mexican-born scientist, was born in Mexico City on March 19, 1943.
Photo Credit: Washington Post
Since childhood, Dr. Molina had a deep passion for science, and he even transformed his bathroom into a laboratory to fuel his curiosity.
Photo Credit: nature
Dr. Molina got a bachelor's in chemical engineering from the National Autonomous University of Mexico and an advanced degree from the University of Freiburg in Germany.
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Dr. Molina moved to the US to conduct postdoctoral research at the University of California, Berkeley, and later at MIT. after finishing his studies.
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During the 1970s, Dr. Molina started investigating the impact of synthetic chemicals on the Earth's atmosphere, particularly on the ozone layer.
Dr. Molina and his fellow researchers were among the first to reveal that chlorofluorocarbons, a common chemical compound found.....
in air conditioners and aerosol sprays, were causing significant damage to the ozone layer, leading to the penetration of ultraviolet radiation to the Earth's surface.
The groundbreaking study was published in the Nature journal and earned Dr. Molina and his colleagues the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
The research laid the groundwork for the Montreal Protocol, an international agreement that successfully banned the production of nearly a hundred ozone-depleting substances.
On October 7, 2020, Dr. Molina passed away at the age of 77 due to a heart attack, but his legacy continues through the Mario Molina Center.
Photo Credit: Washington Post
Mario Molina Center is a leading research institute in Mexico that carries on his work towards creating a more sustainable world.