Eduard Büchner
1860-1917

Büchner found that if yeast cells are crushed with sand and clay, then pressed through a cloth bag, the resulting cell-free liquid produces alcoholic fermentation. This discovery, for which he received the 1907 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, destroyed the concept that a "life force" is essential for fermentation and other reactions in living cells, and helped lay the foundation for modern biochemistry.
Location in chemistry building: First Floor; Room 136 South Wall; Sequence 2
Source: Kedzie Collection