Michael Polanyi, FRS (11 March 1891 – 22 February 1976) was a Hungarian polymath, who made theoretical contribution to physical chemistry, economics, and philosophy. Polanyi was a well known theoretical chemist who contributed to the chemistry field through three main areas of study: adsorption of gases on solids, x-ray structure analysis of the properties of solids, and the rate of chemical reactions. However, Polanyi was active in both theoretical and experimental studies within the Chemistry field. Polanyi obtained a degree in medicine in 1913 as well as a Ph.D. in physical chemistry in 1917 from the University of Budapest. Later in his life, he taught as a chemistry professor at the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute in Berlin as well as the University of Manchester in Manchester, England.