Wolf V. Vishniac

Wolf V. Vishniac
Born
Wolf Vladimir Vishniac

(1922-04-22)April 22, 1922
Berlin, Germany
DiedDecember 10, 1973(1973-12-10) (aged 51)
NationalityAmerican
SpouseHelen Vishniac
ChildrenEthan Vishniac
FatherRoman Vishniac
RelativesIlene Busch-Vishniac (daughter-in-law)
Scientific career
FieldsMicrobiology Astrobiology
InstitutionsUniversity of Rochester

Wolf Vladimir Vishniac (April 22, 1922 – December 10, 1973) was an American microbiologist. He was the son of photographer Roman Vishniac and the father of astronomer Ethan Vishniac. Educated at Brooklyn College and Stanford University, he was a professor of biology at the University of Rochester. He died on a research trip to the Antarctic attempting to retrieve equipment in a crevasse. The crater Vishniac on Mars is named in his honor.[1]

Wolf Vishniac contributed greatly to the search for life on Mars by developing a special miniature laboratory that could be transported to that planet, known as the "Wolf Trap". This research was supported by a NASA grant started in 1959, the first for the biological sciences.[2]

  1. ^ Müller, E. A.; Jappel, A., eds. (2012), "Proceedings of the Sixteenth General Assembly Grenoble", International Astronomical Union Transactions, vol. 16, no. 2, Springer Science & Business Media, p. 325, ISBN 978-9401012577
  2. ^ Carney, Emily (7 July 2014). "Wolf V. Vishniac, The First Human to Walk on Mars". americaspace.com. Retrieved Dec 1, 2019.