Pavel Jungwirth

Pavel Jungwirth, 60, died on July 23, 2026. Pavel Jungwirth was known publicly as a Czech physical chemist. Since 2004, he was the head of the Senior Research Group at the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences. He was also a professor in the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics at Charles University since 2000. He was also a senior editor of the Journal of Physical Chemistry since 2009. He was popularly known for studying the explosive reaction between alkali metals, such as sodium and potassium, and water; his research on this subject indicates that these reactions result from a Coulomb explosion. He and his colleagues have also discovered a way to slow down this reaction, which they used to determine the source of a blue flash that is briefly produced during the reaction. Public biographical listings identify Jungwirth as a Czech physical chemist. This public record remains centered on Jungwirth's work as a Czech physical chemist and the documented milestones of that career.