Harold Urey

American physical chemist (1893-1981)
Person human Q179777
Harold Urey
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Harold Urey was born on April 29, 1893, in Walkerton[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11], and died on January 5, 1981, in La Jolla[1][2][3][4][5][7][8][10][12]. He was subsequently buried at Fairfield Cemetery[4]. He was married to Frieda Urey from 1926 until 1981, and they had a child named Elizabeth Baranger.

Working across the fields of physical chemistry and physics, Urey was an astronomer, chemist, physical chemist, physicist, university teacher, and writer[13]. His academic career included serving as an employer or faculty member at the University of Chicago, the University of Copenhagen, Johns Hopkins University, and Columbia University.

Throughout his career, he received numerous accolades, including the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, the Franklin Medal, the Medal for Merit, the J. Lawrence Smith Medal, the Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society, and the Priestley Medal, among two additional awards[14][15][16][17][18].

Harold Urey

Summary

Harold Urey is a human[1]. He was born in Walkerton[2]. He was born on April 29, 1893[3]. He passed away in La Jolla[4]. He worked as an astronomer[5], chemist[6], physical chemist[7], physicist[8], and university teacher[9]. He ranks in the top 0.71% of human entities by monthly Wikipedia readership (501 views/month, #7,133 of 1,000,298).[10]

Key Facts

  • Born in Walkerton[2], Harold Urey…
  • Harold Urey died in La Jolla[4].
  • Harold Urey was born on April 29, 1893[3].
  • Harold Urey is buried at Fairfield Cemetery[11].
  • Among Harold Urey's spouses was Frieda Urey[12].
  • A child of Harold Urey was Elizabeth Baranger[13].
  • Harold Urey held citizenship in United States[14].
  • Harold Urey worked as an astronomer[5].
  • Harold Urey's professions included chemist[6].
  • Harold Urey's professions included physical chemist[7].
  • Harold Urey worked as a physicist[8].
  • Harold Urey's professions included university teacher[9].
  • Harold Urey's professions included writer[15].
  • Harold Urey's field of work was physical chemistry[16].
  • Harold Urey's field of work was physics[17].
  • Harold Urey was employed by University of Chicago[18].
  • Among Harold Urey's employers was University of Copenhagen[19].
  • Among Harold Urey's employers was Johns Hopkins University[20].
  • Harold Urey was employed by Columbia University[21].
  • Harold Urey was employed by University of California, San Diego[22].
  • Among Harold Urey's employers was Lunar and Planetary Institute[23].
  • Harold Urey's education included a stint at Earlham College[24].
  • Harold Urey's education included a stint at University of Montana[25].
  • Harold Urey's education included a stint at University of California, Berkeley[26].
  • Harold Urey's education included a stint at Columbia University[27].

Body

Origins and Family

Harold Urey's place of birth was Walkerton[2]. He was born on April 29, 1893[3].

Education

Educated at Earlham College[24], a liberal arts college in the United States[28], in United States[29], founded in 1847[30], headquartered in Richmond[31]; University of Montana[25], a public university[32], in United States[33], founded in 1893[34]; University of California, Berkeley[26], a public research university[35], in United States[36], founded in 1868[37], headquartered in Berkeley[38]; and Columbia University[27], a private university[39], in United States[40], founded in 1754[41], headquartered in Manhattan[42]. Harold Urey's doctoral advisor was Gilbert N. Lewis[43].

Career and Affiliations

Recorded occupations include astronomer[5], chemist[6], physical chemist[7], physicist[8], university teacher[9], and writer[15]. Fields of work include physical chemistry[16], a branch of chemistry[44] and physics[17], a branch of science[45]. Employers include University of Chicago[18], a private university[46], in United States[47], founded in 1890[48], headquartered in Chicago[49]; University of Copenhagen[19], a public research university[50], in Denmark[51], founded in 1479[52]; Johns Hopkins University[20], a private university[53], in United States[54], founded in 1876[55], headquartered in Baltimore[56]; Columbia University[21], a private university[57], in United States[58], founded in 1754[59], headquartered in Manhattan[60]; University of California, San Diego[22], a public university[61], in United States[62], founded in 1960[63]; and Lunar and Planetary Institute[23], a research institute[64], in United States[65], founded in 1978[66], headquartered in Houston[67]. Doctoral students include Stanley Miller[68], Harmon Craig[69], Mildred Cohn[70], and Gerald J. Wasserburg[71].

Recognition

Awards received include Nobel Prize in Chemistry[72], a chemistry award[73], in Sweden[74], founded in 1901[75]; Franklin Medal[76], a science award[77], in United States[78]; Medal for Merit[79], a civil decoration[80], in United States[81], founded in 1942[82]; J. Lawrence Smith Medal[83], a science award[84], in United States[85], founded in 1888[86]; Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society[87], a science award[88], in United Kingdom[89], founded in 1824[90]; and Priestley Medal[91].

Personal Life

Among Harold Urey's spouses was Frieda Urey[12]. A child of him was Elizabeth Baranger[13].

Death and Burial

Harold Urey passed away in La Jolla[4]. He is buried at Fairfield Cemetery[11].

Works and Contributions

Things named for Harold Urey include Miller–Urey experiment[92], Harold C. Urey Prize[93], Urey[94], and H. C. Urey Award[95].

Why It Matters

Harold Urey ranks in the top 0.71% of human entities by monthly Wikipedia readership (501 views/month, #7,133 of 1,000,298).[10] He has Wikipedia articles in 28 language editions, a strong signal of global cultural recognition.[96] He is known by 54 alternative names across languages and contexts.[97]

He is credited with the discovery of deuterium[98], a stable isotope[99]. Entities named for him include Miller–Urey experiment[92], Harold C. Urey Prize[93], Urey[94], and H. C. Urey Award[95].

His notable doctoral advisees include Mildred Cohn[100], a biochemist[101], 1913–2009[102], of United States[103], awarded the Elliott Cresson Medal[104]; Stanley Miller[105], a chemist[106], 1930–2007[107], of United States[108], awarded the Oparin Medal[109], specialised in chemist[110]; Gerald J. Wasserburg[111], an astrophysicist[112], 1927–2016[113], of United States[114], awarded the Arthur L. Day Medal[115]; John S. Lewis[116], an astronomer[117], b. 1941[118], of United States[119], awarded the James B. Macelwane Medal[120], specialised in geochemistry[121]; Harmon Craig[122], a chemist[123], 1926–2003[124], of United States[125], awarded the Guggenheim Fellowship[126]; and David Rittenberg[127], a biochemist[128], 1906–1970[129], of United States[130].

FAQs

Where was Harold Urey born?

Harold Urey's place of birth was Walkerton[2].

Where did Harold Urey die?

Harold Urey passed away in La Jolla[4].

Who was Harold Urey married to?

Harold Urey's spouses include Frieda Urey[12].

What did Harold Urey do for work?

Harold Urey worked as astronomer[5], chemist[6], physical chemist[7], physicist[8], and university teacher[9].

Where did Harold Urey go to school?

Harold Urey was educated at Earlham College[24], University of Montana[25], University of California, Berkeley[26], and Columbia University[27].

What awards did Harold Urey receive?

Honors received include Nobel Prize in Chemistry[72], Franklin Medal[76], Medal for Merit[79], and J. Lawrence Smith Medal[83].

What did Harold Urey discover?

Harold Urey is credited as discoverer of deuterium[98].

References

Programmatic citations — every numbered marker resolves to a verifiable graph row below.

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APA 4ort.xyz Knowledge Graph. (2026). Harold Urey. Retrieved April 10, 2026, from https://4ort.xyz/entity/harold-urey
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Edit History

Rolling log of changes to this entity's Wikidata record. Values shown reflect the current state of each edited property — follow the history link to see the precise diff for any edit.

  1. 10d ago · Epìdosis · 2026-05-19 view diff on Wikidata ↗
    Wikidata description American physical chemist (1893-1981)
    Local thumb
    Occupation astronomer, chemist, physical chemist +3
    "/* wbeditentity-update:0| */ QuickStatements 3.0 [[:toollabs:qs-dev/batch/31727|batch #31727]]: import P21 and P106 from GND (20)"
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