168. Chemistry, Evolved

Frances Arnold pioneered the process of directed evolution — mimicking natural selection to create new enzymes that have changed everything from agriculture to laundry.   SOURCES: Frances Arnold , professor of chemistry at the California Institute of Technology.    RESOURCES:  " Innovation by Evolution: Bringing New Chemistry to Life ," by Frances Arnold (Nobel Lecture, 2018). " Bacteria taught to bond carbon and silicon for the first time ," by Aviva Rutkin ( New Scientist , 2016). " Directed evolution of cytochrome c for carbon–silicon bond formation: Bringing silicon to life ," by S. B. Jennifer Kan, Russell D. Lewis, Kai Chen, and Frances H. Arnold ( Science , 2016). " The Director of Evolution ," by Jennifer Ouellette ( Slate , 2013). " Engineered ketol-acid reductoisomerase and alcohol dehydrogenase enable anaerobic 2-methylpropan-1-ol production at theoretical yield in Escherichia coli ," by Sabine Bastian, Xiang Liu, Joseph T. Meyerowitz, Christopher D. Snow, Mike M. Y. Chen, and Frances H. Arnold ( Metabolic Engineering , 2011). Gevo . Provivi .   EXTRAS: " How to Help Kids Succeed ," by People I (Mostly) Admire (2025). The Levitt Lab . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.