How LSD and Hot Springs Led to a DNA Revolution: The Wild Story of PCR
Ever wondered how scientists can detect COVID from a tiny swab, catch criminals from a single hair, or tell if you're related to Genghis Khan? It all started with one eccentric scientist, a lot of LSD, and some bacteria that really love hot tubs. This is the story of how one of science's most important tools came to be – and it's way weirder than you might expect. The Man Behind the Microscope Meet Kary Mullis, possibly the only Nobel Prize winner who credits acid trips for his breakthrough discovery. In the 1960s, while supposedly studying biochemistry at Berkeley, Mullis was more interested in expanding his mind than attending classes. His PhD dissertation was so full of jokes that his committee made him "cut all the wacko stuff out." Not exactly your typical lab coat-wearing researcher. After graduating, Mullis took what you might call the "scenic route" to scientific success. He bounced between jobs, working in a cardiology lab (until he got upset ab...
