Carl Djerassi | 'Pill' chemist, 91

Carl Djerassi, 91, who provided the chemistry behind the sexual revolution by patenting the synthetic hormone used in the Pill, the oral contraceptive sold under various names in the U.S. since 1960, died Friday at his home in San Francisco, the New York Times reported, citing his son, Dale. The cause was complications of liver and bone cancer.

An Austrian-born research chemist, Mr. Djerassi crossed academic disciplines to study how the birth-control pill he helped create influenced women's health, gender equality, and global population.

As a professor at Stanford University, he explored the human side of science and the moral conflicts scientists face in novels, nonfiction books, plays, and short stories.

He took issue with the oft-repeated title "father of the Pill," saying it excluded others such as biologist Gregory Pincus and obstetrician-gynecologist John Rock, who played key roles in the decades-long path toward an oral contraceptive. - Bloomberg