Charles J. Pedersen was an American chemist born on October 3, 1904, in Yokohama, Japan. He is best known for his work in the field of supramolecular chemistry, particularly for developing crown ethers, which are cyclic compounds that can selectively bind certain ions. His research significantly advanced the understanding of molecular interactions. In 1987, Pedersen was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry alongside Donald J. Cram and Jean-Marie Lehn for their contributions to the development of molecules with highly selective structure-specific interactions. He passed away on October 26, 1987, leaving a lasting impact on the field of chemistry.