Richard Grenfell Thomas | |
|---|---|
| Born | 29 March 1901 |
| Died | 16 May 1974 (aged 73) |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Other names | Dick Thomas, R. G. Thomas |
| Alma mater | University of Adelaide (B.Sc.) |
| Known for | Identification of cause of coast disease Naming and description of petrichor |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Mineralogy Biochemistry |
| Institutions | University of Adelaide CSIRO |
| Academic advisors | Douglas Mawson Thorburn Brailsford Robertson |
Richard Grenfell Thomas (29 March 1901 – 16 May 1974) was an Australian mineralogist and biochemist. He was a senior research scientist in the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), ending his career as chief of the Division of Mineral Chemistry. In 1964 he and Isabel Bear scientifically described the smell of rain, for which he coined the term "petrichor".