53 of the Most Important Scientists

Nationality

Birth Year

Invention, Discovery or Achievement

Answer

American

1901

One of the founders of quantum chemistry and molecular biology. He won two Nobel Prizes, one in Peace and one in Chemistry.

American

1911

Discovered resonance states, proved the beta decay theory, worked under Oppenheimer for the Manhattan Project, and was the first to theorize that an asteroid had caused the extinction of dinosaurs.

American

1918

Assisted in the development of the atomic bomb, conceptualized nanotechnology, and theorized quantum electrodynamics.

Austrian

1844

Discovered Entropy (S= K*log W) and died by suicide while on vacation.

Austrian

1903

One of the principal founders of ethology, the study of animal behavior, especially instinct and imprinting. Controversial for his work for Nazi Germany.

Austrian-Czech

1822

A monk, he was the founder of genetics, and tested his theory on pea plants.

Belgian

1894

Priest and physicist who theorized the "Big Bang" and an expanding universe.

British

1635

First coined the word "cell", developed the concept of extinction and contributed to theories of gravity and geological origins of topography. Claimed that his theory of gravity was stolen.

British

1643

Developed the Laws of Motion, Gravity, and Differential and Integral Calculus.

British

1731

Discovered Hydrogen, the composition of atmospheric air, and calculated the density and mass of the Earth.

British

1749

Created the first vaccine (which was against smallpox).

British

1778

Discovered sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, boron and barium. He also clarified that iodine and chlorine were elements.

British

1791

First conceptualized the computer.

British

1791

He discovered electromagnetic induction, diamagnetism, and electrolysis. Also discovered that magnetism could affect rays of light.

British

1809

Contemporaneously developed the Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection with Alfred Russell Wallace.

British

1824

Developed the first and second laws of thermodynamics, absolute zero, and has a temperature scale named after him.

British

1856

Discoverer of the electron and isotopes, and invented the mass spectrometer.

British

1920

X-ray crystallographer whose foundational contribution to discovering the structure of DNA was often overlooked in favor of Francis Crick & James Watson.

British

1934

First observed many "human" behaviors in animals in the Gombe chimpanzees. Dubbed part of the "Trimates" by Louis Leakey, alongside Diane Fossey and Birutė Galdikas.

British

1942

Known for gravitational singularity theorems, the prediction that black holes should emit radiation and for having motor neuron disease.

Danish

1885

Was one of the founders of quantum mechanics alongside Werner Heisenberg, and advanced our understanding of atomic structure. Has an element named after him.

Dutch

1632

He was the first person to observe and document single celled organisms.

French

1623

Clarified the concepts of pressure, made contributions to the study of fluids and invented the calculator. He was a child prodigy and has an SI unit named after him.

French

1743

Named oxygen and hydrogen and established that sulfur was an element. He also discovered the law of conservation of mass.

French

1744

Made the first truly cohesive theory of evolution. Was the first to coin the terms invertebrates, and biology in the modern sense. In malacology he was a taxonomist of great stature.

French

1822

Created the first vaccines for rabies and anthrax and created a way to sterilize milk and wine.

German

1571

Extensively studied the motion of planets and their elliptical orbits around the sun, and created his namesake laws of planetary motion.

German

1646

He developed calculus independently of Isaac Newton, and made contributions in almost every academic field–scientific and not.

German

1834

Originated many terms in evolutionary biology, such as phylogeny and phylum, and theorized that ontogeny (the development of the fetus) tracks a species' evolutionary history. He was also a eugenicist and promoter of scientific racism.

German

1845

Discovered X-rays and has a unit of measurement and element named after him.

German

1858

His constant yields the energy of a photon when multiplied by its frequency. Discovered energy quanta and laid the foundation for theoretical physics.

German

1880

Developed the first comprehensive theory of continental drift, which was only later confirmed to be caused by plate tectonics.

German-American

1879

Generated the famous equation E= mc^2 to describe the speed of light, and is considered the father of modern physics. He also produced the General Theory of Relativity.

German-American

1912

Lead designer of the V-2 rocket, the first artificial object launched into space. Worked for Nazi Germany, and then was poached by the U.S after the war ended.

Greek

c. 460 BCE

Referred to as the "Father of Medicine" best known today for his namesake oath that binds physicians to "first do no harm".

Greek

c. 384 BCE

Although many of his theories (including the five senses, five elements, geocentrism, and theories of motion) were later disproven, his ideas were massively influential in the Middle Ages and beyond. Better known for his philosophy, he also had persisting scientific contributions, such as the establishment of meteorology.

Greek

c. 287 BCE

Mathematician who came up with many inventions, including the siege engine and the screw pump. He discovered buoyancy, and proved that the sphere had two-thirds the volume and the surface area of a cylinder.

Greek

c. 194 BCE

First person to use the word "geography". He was also the first person to calculate the circumference of earth and the tilt of its axis.

Iraqi

c. 780

Considered the founder of modern algebra.

Iraqi

c. 965

First theorized that vision originates in the brain, known as the founder of optics and by some as the first scientist for his pioneering pursuit of the scientific method

Italian

1452

A mathematician, inventor, engineer, anatomist, painter and much more. He conceptualized tanks and helicopters.

Italian

1564

Improved the telescope, proved that not all objects orbited Earth, discovered sunspots, and invented the pendulum and the first thermometer.

Italian

1745

Discoverer of the battery and methane, with the SI unit of electric potential named after him.

Italian-American

1901

One of the creators of the atomic bomb, creator of the nuclear reactor, and discoverer of the neutrino and weak interaction. An element, particle, institute, telescope, paradox, and accelerator lab is named after him.

New Zealander

1871

Discovered the half-life in radioactivity, the proton, and was the first person to split an atom. He has an element named after him.

Polish

1473

First person to formulate a heliocentric model of the universe and often regarded as the person who started the scientific revolution.

Polish-French

1867

Discovered radioactivity, polonium, radium, and was the only person to win two Nobel Prizes in separate categories of science.

Scottish

1726

Considered the father of modern geology, he disproved the young earth theory and postulated the universality of scientific principles across space and time.

Scottish

1881

Discoverer of the first antibiotic, penicillin.

Scottish

1831

Formulated the electromagnetic theory, and laid the foundations for special relativity and quantum mechanics.

Serbian

1879

Calculated the climates for all planets in the solar system but most famous for his namesake cycles that explain long-term variations in Earth's climate and contribute to ice ages and warm periods.

Serbian-American

1856

Known for the Alternating Current (AC) and his many inventions including his coil. The SI unit of magnetic flux density is named after him.

Swedish

1707

The father of modern taxonomy (binomial nomenclature) and ecology.