Key Historical Figures

Classical Greek philosopher credited as one of the founders of Western philosophy and a founder of the Socratic method of inquiry.

Greek mathematician, physicist, engineer, inventor, and astronomer. One of the greatest scientists of antiquity and a pioneer of calculus concepts.

Italian Renaissance polymath whose areas of interest included invention, painting, sculpting, architecture, science, music, mathematics, and anatomy.

English mathematician, physicist, astronomer, alchemist, and author. His work laid the foundations for classical mechanics and modern calculus.

German philosopher and one of the central Enlightenment thinkers. His critical philosophy revolutionized metaphysics, epistemology, and ethics.

English mathematician and writer, widely recognized as the first computer programmer for her notes on Charles Babbage's Analytical Engine.

English naturalist, geologist, and biologist, best known for his contributions to the science of evolution and the theory of natural selection.

Polish-born physicist and chemist who conducted pioneering research on radioactivity. First woman to win a Nobel Prize and only person to win in two fields.

Serbian-American inventor, electrical engineer, mechanical engineer, and futurist best known for his contributions to the design of the modern alternating current system.

Austrian neurologist and the founding father of psychoanalysis. His theories on the unconscious mind and dream interpretation reshaped psychology.

German-born theoretical physicist, widely acknowledged as one of the greatest and most influential scientists of all time. Best known for theory of relativity.

South African anti-apartheid revolutionary, political leader, and philanthropist who served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999.