Kary Mullis

Scientific Achievement

Kary Mullis stands as one of the most recognizable figures in modern biochemistry, having won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1993 (shared with Michael Smith) for his invention of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) — a technique that became foundational to molecular biology and genetic science. Born December 28, 1944, in Lenoir, North Carolina, Mullis studied chemistry at Georgia Tech before earning his Ph.D. in biochemistry from UC Berkeley in 1972. The conceptual breakthrough for PCR came to him on December 16, 1983, during a late-night drive from Berkeley to Mendocino, California, while working at Cetus Corporation. His innovation essentially divided modern biology into "before PCR" and "after PCR" — The New York Times's characterization of its transformative impact. Beyond chemistry, Mullis was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame and received Japan's highest scientific honor, the Japan Prize.

The 1985 Close Encounter

In his 1998 autobiography, Dancing Naked in the Mind Field, Mullis described a startling experience from 1985 at his family cabin in Mendocino County, California. Late one night, while walking to the outhouse, he encountered a glowing figure beneath a fir tree that appeared to be a raccoon — yet it spoke to him, saying "Good evening, doctor." The encounter was accompanied by classic close encounter signs: missing time, as Mullis found himself hours later walking uphill as dawn approached; physical anomalies including groceries that had warmed overnight and clothing that remained dry despite walking across damp ground; and the permanent disappearance of his flashlight. His daughter independently reported a separate missing-time experience at the same cabin and was later struck by the parallels between her experience and the cover art of Whitley Strieber's Communion.

Open-Minded Scientist

Unlike many Nobel laureates who compartmentalize fringe interests, Mullis was unusually forthright about paranormal and unexplained phenomena. He wrote extensively about astrology, consciousness, psychedelic drug use (particularly his experiences with LSD), and the reality of anomalous experiences in ways that contradicted strict scientific orthodoxy. His willingness to discuss his encounter without defensive apology or rationalization made him a rare bridge between the scientific establishment and UFO research communities — arguably the only Nobel laureate of his era willing to publicly entertain the possibility of alien contact on his own terms.

Legacy

Mullis became increasingly controversial as he aged, venturing into territory that drew criticism from mainstream science: AIDS denialism, climate change skepticism, and advocacy for fringe positions. Some colleagues viewed him as an example of "Nobel disease" — the tendency of eminent scientists to stray confidently into unfamiliar domains. Yet his openness to the paranormal remained consistent throughout his life. He did not compartmentalize his UFO experiences as embarrassments to hide, but instead integrated them into a worldview acknowledging the limits of materialist science. Mullis died August 7, 2019, in Newport Beach, California.