Who is the most influential scientist in history? Choose among our top 10!
We have shortlisted the top 10 scientists in history and compared their contributions. Find out who people consider most influential. Vote & tell us why, and suggest other names to the list.
Famous scientists and their greatest scientific discoveries
Science and technological progress has not always been easily accepted in our societies. Not everyone trusts scientists and it is impossible to deny that technological progress entails some side effects and risks for humanity. However, for the most part, science has contributed to expanding our understanding and helps make our lives much more comfortable and pleasant. Medicine, physics, biology, chemistry, mathematics, and other natural sciences have allowed humans accumulate knowledge of the world we live in. Archimedes, Aristotle, Curie, Darwin, Einstein, Galileo, Maxwell, Newton, Pasteur and Tesla are among the most influential scientists of all time. If you had to pick one, who would it be? Who is the world's greatest scientist of all time?
Top 10 most influential scientists
- Aristotle (384 – 322 BC) was a Greek philosopher and scientist who made contributions to physics, biology, zoology, metaphysics, logic, ethics, aesthetics, poetry, theater, music, rhetoric, linguistics, politics and government. According to the Encyclopædia Britannica, "Aristotle was the first genuine scientist in history”.
- Archimedes of Syracuse (circa 287BC – circa 212BC) is considered as the greatest mathematician of antiquity. However we should not forget that Archimedes was also a physicist, engineer, inventor, and astronomer. He made major discoveries in calculus and mathematical analysis.
- Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) was an Italian astronomer, physicist, engineer, philosopher, and mathematician and is often considered as the father of observational astronomy. He was tried by the Inquisition, found “suspect of heresy", forced to retract, and spent the rest of his life under house arrest.
- Isaac Newton (1642-1726) was an English physicist and mathematician and is widely recognized as one of the most influential scientists of all time. He laid the foundations for classical mechanics, made contributions to optics and developed calculus.
- Charles Darwin (1809-1882) was an English naturalist and geologist. He is best known for establishing the theory that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestors, following a process known as natural selection.
- Louis Pasteur (1822-1895) was a French chemist and microbiologist known for his discoveries of the principles of vaccination, microbial fermentation and pasteurization. His work on the causes and preventions of diseases has saved countless lives ever since.
- James Clerk Maxwell (1831-1879) was a Scottish mathematical physicist. He formulated the classical theory of electromagnetic radiation, bringing together for the first time electricity, magnetism, and light as manifestations of the same phenomenon.
- Nikola Tesla (1846-1943) was a Serbian American inventor, electrical engineer, mechanical engineer, physicist, and futurist best known for his contributions to the design of the modern alternating current (AC) electricity supply system.
- Marie Skłodowska Curie (1867-1934) was a Polish (naturalized-French) physicist and chemist who conducted pioneering research on radioactivity. She is arguably one of the greatest female scientists in history.
- Albert Einstein (1879-1955) was a German-born theoretical physicist. He developed the general theory of relativity, one of the two pillars of modern physics, among other discoveries. He is probably the most famous scientist of our times and an icon in popular culture.
Who do you think was most influential among this great scientists top 10? Who else do you think should make it to the top 10 list? You can add other great geniuses in the comment section.
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Who is the most influential scientist in history? Choose among our top 10!
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