Luis Ernesto Miramontes

Luis Ernesto Miramontes (1925–2004) was a young UNAM-trained chemist working at the Mexico City laboratory Syntex when, in 1951, he synthesized norethisterone, the compound that became the basis of the first oral contraceptive pill. He shares credit for the invention with Carl Djerassi and George Rosenkranz.

Don’t confuse him with other famous Mexican scientists: Mario Molina won the Nobel Prize for ozone-layer research, and Guillermo González Camarena invented an early color-television system.