Historical Figure
Selman Waksman
1888–1973
American biochemist and microbiologist (1888–1973)
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Biography
Selman Abraham Waksman was a Russian-born American inventor, biochemist and microbiologist, whose research into the decomposition of organisms that live in soil enabled the discovery of streptomycin and several other antibiotics. For his work he won the 1952 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
Timeline
The story of Selman Waksman, told in moments.
Emigrated to the United States at 22, shortly after finishing school in Odessa. Enrolled at Rutgers College to study agriculture, drawn to the mysteries of soil microorganisms.
His lab at Rutgers isolated streptomycin, the first effective antibiotic against tuberculosis. The drug would save millions of lives worldwide. His PhD student Albert Schatz did the hands-on discovery work.
Awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Schatz later sued, claiming Waksman had minimized his role. They settled out of court, with Schatz named co-discoverer.
In Their Own Words (1)
Artifacts (15)
The closest I came to making life was the closest I came to death.
opian tube had ruptured, resulting in massive internal haemorrhage that required emergency surgery. She said: "The closest I came to making life was the closest I came to death." === Relationships...
classic soul and midnight-on-the-moors English art rock
achine's style as "dark, robust and romantic", deeming the ballad "Only If for a Night" as a mix of "classic soul and midnight-on-the-moors English art rock". Welch stated that her lyrics related to...
I'm pretty obsessed with [Stevie] Nicks, from her style to her voice. I like wat...
d singers Grace Slick, Alanis Morissette, Patti Smith, and Stevie Nicks as influences and "heroes." She told Rolling Stone in 2010, "I'm pretty obsessed with [Stevie] Nicks, from her style to her...
I aspire to something like that, but with music. I hope that my music has some o...
ughter. A visit to one of her mother's renaissance lectures left teenage Florence deeply impressed. She explained, "I aspire to something like that, but with music. I hope that my music has some of...
My hands go tingly, my lips go tingly. I sort of think that it's very serious an...
irit of rock and roll." In 2019, she discussed her panic attacks in an interview with Sinéad Burke. She explained, "My hands go tingly, my lips go tingly. I sort of think that it's very serious and...
When I was writing these songs, I used to refer to myself as Florence Robot ... ...
ie Sioux, PJ Harvey, Shirley Manson, Alison Goldfrapp, Tori Amos, and Björk. When describing Lungs, Welch said, "When I was writing these songs, I used to refer to myself as Florence Robot ... because...
For the stage, it's The Lady of Shalott meets Ophelia... mixed with scary gothic...
ed her style as Bohemian and called her "the queen of Bohemian style." Discussing her fashion style Welch said, "For the stage, it's The Lady of Shalott meets Ophelia... mixed with scary gothic bat...
I'm not a religious person. Sex, violence, love, death, are the topics that I'm ...
n, heaven and hell". Welch has used religious imagery in her music and performances, though she has stated, "I'm not a religious person. Sex, violence, love, death, are the topics that I'm constantly...
One of the saddest and most heartbreaking things is that I remember really wanti...
as] constantly reading books, thinking, "I'm not a mermaid. I can't breathe underwater. I can't fly." One of the saddest and most heartbreaking things is that I remember really wanting to be able to...
I went to Catholic school, and the first songs I remember liking were hymns. I f...
themes and elements, Welch has said she is an agnostic and does not follow any particular religion. "I went to Catholic school, and the first songs I remember liking were hymns. I find it's nice to...
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