Melvin Calvin (chemist)

Melvin Calvin was an American chemist renowned for discovering the process by which plants convert carbon dioxide into organic compounds, primarily glucose, through photosynthesis. He mapped out the series of chemical reactions—known as the Calvin Cycle—that occur in plant cells to produce energy. His work explained how plants capture sunlight and transform it into food, laying foundational knowledge for biology and agriculture. In 1961, he received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for this groundbreaking research, which enhanced our understanding of the fundamental process sustaining life on Earth.