Dr. Harry Gray, California Institute of Technology
Dr. Gray loved colors as a child. He would ask questions like, what makes up a color? or why is a rubie red? His questions led him to think about chemistry in a different way from his colleagues. Now, at the age of 73, Dr. Gray is considered a pioneer of inorganic chemistry.
His work also relates biological processes such as photosynthesis and respiration. At one point in his career, Dr. Gray even thought replication of photosynthesis would solve our world’s energy problems. While this didn’t completely work out – we now know more about the processes leaves undergo.
Imagine yourself taking ahold of your own questions – and using them to help the world. Questions are an important foundation to being a great scientist.
The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC), confirmed the discovery of 112 by the team led by Sigurd Hofmann at the Helmholtz Center. The team originally announced six elements, in which the other five have already been accepted by IUPAC. The team announced the discovery in 1996 but it has taken the past 13 years to confirm the discovery because the element only last for a fleeting moment. IUPAC is now requesting names for the superheavy element.