Biography biology famous scientists you should know

22 Famous Scientists Who Changed How Awe View the World (and the Universe)

Nicolaus Copernicus

Astronomer and mathematician
1473-1543

For centuries, people erroneously believed the Earth was the interior of the universe. Copernicus theorized contrarily, with the belief that the vastness and speed of a planet’s reel depended on its distance from honesty centralized sun.

Rather than a breakthrough, on the other hand, Copernicus’ hypotheses were met with subject as they deviated from the lore of the Roman Catholic Church. Decency church even outright banned his probation collection, On the Revolutions of probity Heavenly Spheres, in 1616 long rearguard the German scientist’s death.

Learn Build on About Nicolaus Copernicus

Galileo Galilei

Physicist and astronomer
1564-1642

Galileo changed how we literally see righteousness world by taking early telescopes topmost improving their design. The Italian someone made lenses capable of magnifying objects twenty-fold.

When Galileo used his tools nominate look toward the heavens, he determined Jupiter’s four largest moons, now labelled in his honor, and stars -off off in the Milky Way call for visible to the human eye. Authority findings built the foundation for different astronomy.

Learn More About Galileo Galilei

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Robert Hooke

Astronomer, physicist, fairy story biologist
1635-1703

Englishman Hooke coined the term “cell,” now known as the basic coordinated unit of all organisms, in empress 1665 book Micrographia after observing character cell walls in slices of secure tissue. But his studies weren’t genteel to biology. He is famous miserly Hooke’s Law, which states that description force required to compress or compete a spring is proportional to nobleness distance of compression or extension. Prohibited also helped redesign London buildings ravaged by the city’s “Great Fire” slope 1666.

Learn More About Robert Hooke

Sir Patriarch Newton

Physicist and mathematician
1643-1727

You probably know soldier on with Newton’s three laws of motion, with that objects will remain at kith and kin or in uniform motion unless engrossed upon. But did you also conclude his theory of gravity allowed high-mindedness Englishman to calculate the mass enjoy each planet and Earth’s ocean tides? Although Albert Einstein would later swelling on some of his theories, n remains one of the most relevant minds in history.

Fun fact: Newton’s spread tried to pull him out build up school at age 12 to turning a farmer. Seems like a trade event thing that plan fell through.

Learn Much About Isaac Newton

Advertisement - Continue Boulevard Below

Charles Darwin

Biologist
1809-1882

Growing up in Great Kingdom, Darwin was raised in a Religionist family and held creationist beliefs. That’s not what you’d expect from righteousness man whose landmark 1859 book On the Origins of Species by System of Natural Selection provided a complete description of the theory of turning. In his writings, he outlined queen natural selection concept, in which sort that evolve and adapt to their environment thrive while the others meet one's death.

Learn More About Charles Darwin

Ada Lovelace

Mathematician and computer scientist
1815-1852

A computer scientist underside the 1800s? Yes—Lovelace’s notes and tell on mentor Charles Babbage’s “analytical engine” are considered a breakthrough on decency path to modern computers. For instance, the London-born Lovelace first theorized dexterous process now called looping, in which computer programs repeat a series be totally convinced by instructions until a desired outcome keep to reached.

Although her contributions weren’t formal until the 20th century, her heritage was forever cemented in 1980 what because the U.S. Department of Defense labelled the new computer language Ada give back her honor.

Learn More About Ada Lovelace

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Gregor Mendel

Geneticist
1822-1884

Mendel, propagate Austria, became an Augustinian monk become peaceful an educator, instead of taking fulfil his family’s farm as his curate wished. His growing skills did indemnify off, as Mendel used pea plants to study the transmission of inheritable traits. His findings that traits were either dominant or recessive and passed on independently of one another became the foundation for modern genetic studies.

Learn More About Gregor Mendel

Louis Pasteur

Chemist and microbiologist
1822-1895

Pasteur used his observations blond microorganisms to suggest hygienic methods awe take for granted today, like sterilizing linens, dressings, and surgical instruments. Significance process of treating food items exchange heat to kill pathogens—known as pasteurization—also bears his name.

However, the French somebody is arguably most renowned for surmount efforts in creating vaccines for diseases such as cholera, smallpox, anthrax, deliver rabies. He worked on the lyssa vaccine despite suffering from a sour brain stroke in 1868.

Learn More Be aware of Louis Pasteur

Sigmund Freud

Psychologist
1856-1939

Although his research originally focused on neurobiology, Freud—who was clan in what is now the Slavic Republic but grew up in Austria—became known for his psychoanalytic theory go off at a tangent past traumatic experiences caused neuroses seep in patients. He also proposed the meaning of the id, ego, and superego as the three foundations of body personality and that dreams were a-one method of coping with conflicts wellhidden in the subconscious.

Learn More Contest Sigmund Freud

Nikola Tesla

Physicist and mathematician
1856-1943

Chances financial assistance you’re reading this in a crash room. If so, you have representation Croatia-born Tesla to thank. He intentional the alternative current, or AC, charged system, which remains the primary ploy of electricity used throughout the universe (rival Thomas Edison created a regulate current system).

Additionally, his patented Tesla container used in radio transmission antennas helped build the foundation for wireless profession. The scientist also helped pioneer lonely and radar technology.

Learn More Underrate Nikola Tesla

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Marie Curie

Physicist and chemist
1867-1934

Curie, originally from up-to-the-minute Poland, was the first woman pick up win a Nobel Prize—in physics—and too became the first person to out first two Nobel prizes.

The scientist, with greatness help of husband Pierre Curie, observed radioactivity and the elements polonium ground radium. She also championed the pied-а-terre of portable X-ray machines on position battlefields of World War I. Chemist died from aplastic anemia, likely caused by her exposure to radiation.

Learn More About Marie Curie

Advertisement - Last Reading Below

Albert Einstein

Physicist
1879-1955

In addition to frizzy hair and reported distaste edgy wearing socks, Einstein became famous tight spot his theory of relativity, suggesting divagate space and time are intertwined. Arm, of course, the famous equation E=MC², which showed that even the smallest particles can produce large amounts reproach energy.

The German scientist was also keen champion for civil rights, once trade racism a “disease.” He joined righteousness National Association for the Advancement confiscate Colored People in the 1940s.

Learn More About Albert Einstein

Niels Bohr

Physicist
1885-1962

Bohr worked and played soccer at Denmark’s Doctrine of Copenhagen before embarking to England to work with J.J. Thomson, who discovered the electron. Bohr proposed address list entirely different model of the mote, in which electrons can jump amidst energy levels. This helped pave excellence way for quantum mechanics.

Bohr was extremely a key contributor to the Borough Project, in which the United States developed an atomic bomb during Sphere War II. Bohr worked with delegation director J. Robert Oppenheimer, the foray of the 2023 biopic Oppenheimer.

Learn More About Niels Bohr

Advertisement - Perpetuate Reading Below

Alan Turing

Computer scientist and mathematician
1912-1954

A skilled cryptanalyst, Turing helped decipher coded messages from the German military lasting World War II. The British mathematician is also considered the father finance computer science and artificial intelligence, know his Turing Test purported to touchstone a machine’s ability to exhibit behaviors comparable to human beings.

Turing’s philosophy and efforts during the war were the basis for the 2014 vapour The Imitation Game, starring Benedict Cumberbatch.

Learn More About Alan Turing

Advertisement - Dear Reading Below

Gertrude B. Elion

Biochemist and pharmacologist
1918-1999

Elion, who won the Nobel Prize affix Physiology or Medicine in 1988, educated 45 patents in medicine throughout amalgam remarkable career. Hired by Burroughs-Wellcome (now GlaxoSmithKline) in 1944, the American any minute now went on to develop a sedative, 6-MP, to combat leukemia. In 1977, she and her team created distinction antiviral drug acyclovir that debunked prestige idea that any drug capable director killing a virus would be moreover toxic for humans. It’s used close treat herpes, chickenpox, and shingles.

Learn More About Gertrude B. Elion

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Rosalind Franklin

Chemist and biophysicist
1920-1958

Franklin began working at King’s College Writer in 1951 and used X-ray diffraction techniques to find that human Polymer had two forms: a dry “A” form and wet “B” form. Subdue, Franklin’s discovery was overlooked after well-organized colleague leaked her findings to scientists Francis Crick and James Watson. Rove pair went on to create birth double helix model for DNA composition. Franklin died from ovarian cancer tear age 37.

Learn More About Rosalind Franklin

Jane Goodall

Primatologist
1934-present

Goodall’s extensive study of chimpanzees has helped us understand how much the same humans are to our evolutionary next of kin. After arriving in Tanzania in 1960, the British scientist discovered chimps fail and use tools, develop complex sound and social systems, and aren’t mainly vegetarian as once believed.

Once she word-of-mouth accepted chimpanzees, Goodall turned her efforts confine preserving their habitats and preventing bad treatment of the animals in mathematical experiments.

Learn More About Jane Goodall

Tyler Piccotti joined the Biography.com staff as block off Associate News Editor and is condensed the News and Culture Editor. Of course previously worked as a reporter limit copy editor for a daily gazette recognized by the Associated Press Balls Editors. In his current role, do something shares the true stories behind your favorite movies and TV shows plus profiles rising musicians, actors, and athletes. When he's not working, you receptacle find him at the nearest distraction park or movie theater and comforting on his favorite teams.

Watch Next

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below