The Resume

(April 29, 1893-January 5, 1981)
Born in Walkerton, Indiana
Discovered deuterium, a 'heavy' isotope of hydrogen (1932)
Received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the discovery (1934)
Later discovered isotopes of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur
Worked in the Manhattan Project to develop an atomic bomb
Developed gaseous diffusion techniques to separate weapons-grade uranium (U-235) from the more abundant uranium isotope, U-238
With grad student Stanley Miller, devised the Miller-Urey experiment showing that gases from the earth's early atmosphere could react to produce amino acids, one of the building blocks of life (1953)
Considered a founder of the field of chemical cosmology: the study of the chemical composition of the matter in the universe and the processes responsible
Consultant to NASA concerning lunar probes and missions
Analyzed lunar samples collected by Apollo 11

Why he might be annoying:

He isolated deuterium on Thanksgiving. (Although as an excuse to avoid helping with the meal, 'I'm performing an experiment that will win me a Nobel Prize' beats the snot out of 'But the Lions are about to kickoff.')
He said he had hoped deuterium 'might have the practical use of, say, neon in neon signs' and was disappointed that its largest uses were in hydrogen bombs and nuclear energy.
He was one of several Manhattan Project scientists who, after working to create an atomic bomb, suddenly opposed its use.
A lot of his theories about the moon were disproved by the Apollo missions.

Why he might not be annoying:

He was married to Freida Daum for 54 years.
He expected that lunar exploration would give him 'a very red face,' noting 'Nature can always be more complicated than we imagine.'
Although he campaigned for an international ban on nuclear weapons, he said the US should never disarm unilaterally.
Fellow Nobel Prize winner Glenn Seaborg called him 'a brilliantly innovative scientist whose mind seemed at home in dozens of very different disciplines.'

Credit: C. Fishel

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

• 20th Century Scientists
• An Asteroid was Named in My Honor (Ranked: 4716)
• C. Fishel's Profiles [Series 49]
• I am a Hoosier [Indiana]
• I Attended University of California, Berkeley
• I Attended University of Montana
• I Died in 1981 (Ranked: 87)
• I Earned a Doctorate
• I Have Parkinson Disease
• Manhattan Project
• Nobel Prize for Chemistry (Ranked: 1934)
• Profiles 34751-35000 (Ranked: 34766)
• Scientists
• We Celebrated Our Golden Anniversary

Year In Review:

In 2023, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2022, Out of 17 Votes: 5.88% Annoying
In 2021, Out of 6 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
In 2020, Out of 4 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
In 2019, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying
In 2018, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
In 2017, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
In 2016, Out of 9 Votes: 44.44% Annoying
In 2015, Out of 15 Votes: 53.33% Annoying
In 2014, Out of 24 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2013, Out of 20 Votes: 55.00% Annoying