James Ferris

James P. Ferris (1932 – March 4, 2016) was an American chemist known for his contributions to the understanding of the origins of life on Earth. He demonstrated a successful mechanism of clay-catalyzed polymerization of RNA, providing evidence for the RNA World Hypothesis. Ferris also made significant contributions to atmospheric photochemistry, shedding light on chemical processes in the atmospheres of Jupiter and Saturn's moon, Titan. Born in Nyack, New York, Ferris completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Pennsylvania and obtained a Bachelor of Science in chemistry. He earned his doctorate in natural products chemistry from Indiana University and conducted post-doctoral studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Ferris began his career as a professor at Florida State University and conducted research at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies.