James P. Ferris | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1932 |
| Died | March 4, 2016 (aged 83–84) |
| Alma mater | University of Pennsylvania Indiana University Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| Awards | NIH Career Award (1969) Oparin Medal (1996) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | atmospheric photochemistry, origins of life, prebiotic chemistry |
| Institutions | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Salk Institute for Biological Studies Florida State University |
James "Jim" P. Ferris (1932 – March 4, 2016) was an American chemist. He is known for his contributions to the understanding of the origins of life on Earth, specifically by demonstrating a successful mechanism of clay-catalyzed polymerization of RNA, providing further evidence for the RNA World Hypothesis. Additionally, his work in atmospheric photochemistry has illuminated many of the chemical processes which occur in the atmospheres of Jupiter and Saturn's moon, Titan.