Wolf V. Vishniac facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wolf V. Vishniac
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| Born |
Wolf Vladimir Vishniac
April 22, 1922 Berlin, Germany
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| Died | December 10, 1973 (aged 51) Asgard Range, Wright Valley, Antarctica
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| Nationality | American |
| Spouse(s) | Helen Vishniac |
| Children | Ethan Vishniac |
| Parent(s) |
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| Relatives | Ilene Busch-Vishniac (daughter-in-law) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Microbiology Astrobiology |
| Institutions | University of Rochester |
Wolf Vladimir Vishniac (born April 22, 1922 – died December 10, 1973) was an American microbiologist. Microbiologists study tiny living things like bacteria. He was the son of a famous photographer, Roman Vishniac. His son, Ethan Vishniac, became an astronomer.
Wolf Vishniac went to Brooklyn College and Stanford University. Later, he became a professor of biology at the University of Rochester. Sadly, he passed away during a research trip in Antarctica. A crater on Mars is named Vishniac in his honor.
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Searching for Life on Mars
Wolf Vishniac helped a lot in the search for life on Mars. He created a special mini-laboratory. This lab was small enough to be sent to Mars. It was called the "Wolf Trap."
The Wolf Trap Experiment
The "Wolf Trap" was designed to look for tiny living things. It would collect samples from the Martian soil. Then, it would check for signs of life. This research was very important for NASA. NASA gave him money for this project starting in 1959. It was the first time NASA funded a biology project like this.
Wolf Vishniac Memorial Award
There is an award named after Wolf Vishniac. It is called the Wolf Vishniac Memorial Award for Young Researchers. This award is given out every two years. It happens at a big meeting called the International Symposium On Environmental Biogeochemistry (ISEB).
Who Can Win the Award?
The award is for young scientists. They must be 35 years old or younger. They also need to be the main author of a research paper. And they must give a presentation at the symposium. Many talented scientists have won this award. For example, Sergey Zimov won it in 1991. Other winners include M. Francesca Cotrufo, Alexis S. Templeton, Kamlesh Jangid, Salwa Hamdi, and Jillian M. Petersen.
Wolf Vishniac in Pop Culture
Wolf Vishniac's story was shared on TV. The famous scientist Carl Sagan told it. This happened in his 1980 TV series, Cosmos: A Personal Voyage.
"Blues for a Red Planet" Episode
Carl Sagan talked about Wolf Vishniac in Episode 5. The episode was titled "Blues for a Red Planet." It helped many people learn about Vishniac's work. It also showed his important efforts to find life beyond Earth.
