From Refugee to Nobel Laureate: How Omar Yaghi Revolutionized Chemistry with Metal-Organic Frameworks

Oct 09, 2025 02:53 am CST

Nobel chemistry laureate Omar Yaghi's journey from a Palestinian refugee family in Jordan to pioneering metal-organic frameworks showcases science as the "greatest equalising force." His groundbreaking research enables carbon dioxide capture and water extraction from desert air, transforming from humble beginnings to earning over 250,000 academic citations through controlling matter at the molecular level.