Kary Mullis, a name now perhaps more widely recognized posthumously than during his Nobel Prize-winning era nearly thirty years prior, owes his fame to a groundbreaking invention: the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). In the COVID age, a period he narrowly missed – much to the relief of figures like Anthony Fauci, his scientific adversaries – PCR has permeated global discourse. However, beyond this scientific milestone, Mullis’s autobiography, Dancing Naked in the Mind Field, published in 1998, offers a compelling glimpse into the mind of a truly unconventional genius.
Echoing the spirit of Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman!, another Nobel laureate’s autobiography, Dancing Naked in the Mind Field reveals the similarities between Mullis and Feynman: extraordinary intellect, sharp wit, and a candid appreciation for women. While Feynman’s stance on psychoactive substances remains less documented, Mullis openly embraced them, even innovating new ones in his laboratory. He was certainly not alone in exploring the edges of consciousness to fuel creativity, a point highlighted by prosecutor Rocky Harmon during the O.J. Simpson trial, who attempted to leverage Mullis’s LSD use to discredit him. Yet, it was precisely in these moments of scrutiny that Mullis’s true character emerged: an unwavering disregard for public opinion, prioritizing authenticity and intellectual integrity above all else.
These very qualities, while admirable, simultaneously propelled and hindered his career, and perhaps even contributed to his untimely demise. Mullis refused to condone or ignore what he perceived as unethical practices within the scientific community, and he vehemently challenged established scientific doctrines when empirical evidence was lacking. “We must be aware,” Mullis cautions in his autobiography, “…that the media are at the mercy of scientists who can command their attention, and these scientists are often not focused on rigorous science. More often, they are focused on securing their own funding.” Does this sound familiar in today’s world? He further questions, “Who are these individuals… orchestrating scientific conferences and media narratives? These are the people – perpetually needing to invent impending disasters that only government funding can avert… – they are manipulating you.”
What were these dogmas that Mullis dared to confront? Global warming, or perhaps cooling, or conveniently, climate change, was one. Even two decades ago, Mullis recognized the agenda behind the climate change narrative, stating about the climate, “…the only constant is significant change.” He argued that climate variability is inherent and natural.
The ozone layer depletion theory also faced Mullis’s skepticism. He asserted a lack of concrete evidence and presented a counter-argument: if an ozone hole existed, “UV radiation from the sun would penetrate the atmosphere…be absorbed by oxygen…and generate more ozone.” He strengthened this point by suggesting that even with global consensus, eliminating the ozone layer would be an impossible feat.
Perhaps his most controversial stance was his challenge to the prevailing medical dogma that HIV causes AIDS. As detailed in Dancing Naked, and as many continue to argue, Mullis maintained that conclusive proof linking HIV to AIDS had never been established. Yet, the HIV=AIDS doctrine fueled a multi-billion dollar pharmaceutical industry built upon drugs like AZT and perpetuated social stigma around AIDS. Ironically, the PCR test, Mullis’s own invention, became instrumental in diagnosing countless individuals with AIDS based on HIV positivity, blurring the lines of causality. Today, with new acronyms driving public fear, history seems to be repeating itself.
Despite the gravity of these topics, Dancing Naked in the Mind Field is far from a somber read. Mullis crafts a narrative that is both intellectually stimulating and riotously funny. He seamlessly interweaves tales of surfing, astrology, admitted experiences with astral projection, and a harrowing encounter with venomous spiders. Each chapter delivers an engaging and often humorous exploration of topics that remain profoundly relevant today, perhaps even more so. Throughout his extraordinary life, Mullis remained steadfast in his integrity and authenticity – qualities increasingly rare in contemporary science. Were Kary Mullis alive today, would he challenge the shifting COVID-19 narrative? Fortunately for those who benefit from “inventing impending disasters preventable by government projects,” we will never know. However, reading between the lines of this remarkable autobiography, it becomes clear that Mullis would find ample holes in the prevailing narrative, large enough to surf through on his longboard time and time again.
Dancing Naked in the Mind Field stands as a captivating account of one man’s quest to decipher the enigmas of our planet and the eccentricities of its human inhabitants. “Welcome to Earth,” he concludes his book. “It’s a little confusing at first. That’s why you have to come back over and over again before you learn to really enjoy yourself.”
