Blood types

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Who

Karl Landsteiner, born into a Viennese Jewish family (he later converted to Catholicism)

When

1900–1901

Where

Vienna, Austria

The ABO blood group system, which makes safe blood transfusions possible, was discovered by Karl Landsteiner in 1900–1901. Landsteiner was born into a Jewish family in Vienna and later converted to Catholicism; he received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1930. His discovery underpins modern transfusion medicine and has saved countless lives.

Sources

Part of “The Gifts of the Jews” — verified Jewish contributions to the world, with sources.