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Mario Molina
Mexico City, Mexico
Archival Overview
Mexican physical chemist who discovered that chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) decompose stratospheric ozone, earning the 1995 Nobel Prize in Chemistry and spearheading the Montreal Protocol.
Biographical Record
Mario Molina (1943–2020) earned degrees at UNAM and the University of California, Berkeley. In 1974, alongside F. Sherwood Rowland, he published groundbreaking atmospheric chemistry models revealing that industrial aerosol CFCs rise into the stratosphere, where UV light releases chlorine atoms that destroy ozone.
Their persistent warnings led to the 1987 Montreal Protocol, the first universally ratified environmental treaty in history. Molina later served as presidential climate advisor and led international efforts to reduce airborne urban pollutants.
Key Life Milestones
Discovery of CFC Ozone Threat
Published seminal paper in Nature demonstrating that CFC gases catalyze the destruction of atmospheric ozone.
Nobel Prize in Chemistry
Awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for atmospheric chemistry and ozone conservation.
Memorial Guestbook & Tributes
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Final Resting Place
Perpetual MemorialMexico City, Mexico