Wolf V. Vishniac
Wolf Vladimir Vishniac (born April 22, 1922 in Berlin , † December 10, 1973 in the Asgard Range , Viktorialand , Antarctica ) was an American microbiologist and the son of Roman Vishniac .
Life and accomplishments
Vishniac was a professor of biology at the University of Rochester . During a research trip to Antarctica, he was killed in a crash in the Asgard Range while trying to recover equipment from a crevice .
Vishniac made a huge contribution to the search for life on Mars by developing a mini-laboratory that could be sent to the planet. This research was subsidized by NASA from 1959 , which was a first for the life sciences. The Mars probe Viking 1 contained such a device, but could not detect any conclusive signs of life.
Carl Sagan paid tribute to the work and death of his friend Vishniac in his TV show Cosmos: A Personal Voyage in the episode Blues for a Red Planet and presented his microbiological sensor, which he jokingly called Wolfsfalle (Wolf Trap) in reference to his first name. The device was supposed to be used in the Viking program , but then fell victim to budget cuts.
Vishniac Crater on Mars and Vishniac Peak in Antarctica are named after Wolf Vishniac.
Web links
- Wolf V. Vishniac in the database of Find a Grave (English)
Individual evidence
- ^ Wolf V. Vishniac - Micro Biologist. In: The New York Times , December 11, 1973 (accessed July 29, 2017).
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Vishniac, Wolf V. |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Vishniac, Wolf Vladimir |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American microbiologist |
| DATE OF BIRTH | April 22, 1922 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Berlin |
| DATE OF DEATH | December 10, 1973 |
| Place of death | Asgard Range , Victoria Land , Antarctica |