Paul J. Crutzen, renowned atmospheric chemist and meteorologist, died on 28 January after a long illness. He was 87. During his inspired scientific career, he made breakthroughs that shed light on the ozone layer, air pollution, greenhouse gases, nuclear winter, and the effect of human activities on climate. Crutzen's towering academic achievements influenced environmental policies worldwide. Through it all, he maintained an open, joyful, and graceful disposition that endeared him to colleagues and students alike. Born on 3 December 1933 to a working-class family in Amsterdam, Crutzen survived the Dutch famine of 1944–1945 (dubbed the “hunger winter”). In 1954, he earned a technical degree in civil engineering. Before leaving the Netherlands, he worked briefly as a bridge construction engineer and married the love of his life, Terttu Soininen. In 1959, an opportunity arose to move to Stockholm University and work as a computer programmer, giving Crutzen a chance to realize his long-held dream of an academic life. It did not take long for his talents to shine through, and he transitioned to the Department of Meteorology, where he earned his M.Sc. (filosofie kandidat degree) in 1963, his Ph.D. (filosofie licentiat degree) in meteorology in 1968, and his D.Sc. (filosofie doctor degree) in 1973, after completing a thesis on aircraft pollution in the stratosphere and troposphere.