“In the universe of possibilities that exist for life, we've shown that it is a very easy possibility for life as we know it to include silicon in organic molecules. And once you can do it somewhere in the universe, it's probably being done.”

American chemical engineer, Nobel laureate

Frances Hamilton Arnold is an American chemical engineer and Nobel laureate. She is the Linus Pauling Professor of Chemical Engineering, Bioengineering and Biochemistry at the California Institute of Technology. She won the 2018 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for pioneering the use of directed evolution to engineer enzymes. Her work has helped shape modern protein engineering, and her public remarks often reflect the practical and scientific value of experimentation, design, and discovery.