Carl R. Woese

Carl R. Woese was a microbiologist who revolutionized our understanding of life’s evolutionary tree. He used a technique called molecular phylogenetics to study the genetic material of microorganisms, revealing that what we previously called bacteria actually consist of two fundamentally different groups. He identified the Archaea, a distinct domain of life separate from bacteria and eukaryotes (like plants and animals). This discovery reshaped biological classification and showed that the diversity of life is more complex than previously thought, emphasizing the importance of genetic analysis in understanding the history and relationships among all living organisms.