Beijerinck was Professor at the Polytechnical Institute of Delft (since 1895). He is most famous for his discovery of viruses, by proving in filtration experiments that the tobacco mosaic disease is caused by something smaller than a bacterium. He named that new pathogen virus.

He was also known for his ascetic lifestyle and his view of science and marriage being incompatible.

Beijerinck died 1931.

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