Top 20 Physicists of All Time
|
# |
Name |
Key Contributions |
Era |
|
1 |
Isaac Newton |
Classical mechanics, universal gravitation, optics, calculus |
17th–18th century |
|
2 |
Albert Einstein |
Theory of relativity (special and general), photoelectric effect, quantum theory foundations |
20th century |
|
3 |
James Clerk Maxwell |
Unified electricity and magnetism (Maxwell's equations), kinetic theory |
19th century |
|
4 |
Galileo Galilei |
Kinematics, experimental method, heliocentric model supporter |
16th–17th century |
|
5 |
Niels Bohr |
Quantum theory of the atom, Copenhagen interpretation |
20th century |
|
6 |
Richard Feynman |
Quantum electrodynamics (QED), Feynman diagrams, popularizing science |
20th century |
|
7 |
Werner Heisenberg |
Matrix mechanics, uncertainty principle |
20th century |
|
8 |
Max Planck |
Quantum theory originator (Planck constant), blackbody radiation |
19th–20th century |
|
9 |
Enrico Fermi |
Nuclear physics, first nuclear reactor, Fermi-Dirac statistics |
20th century |
|
10 |
Paul Dirac |
Dirac equation (relativistic quantum mechanics), predicted antimatter |
20th century |
|
11 |
Michael Faraday |
Electromagnetic induction, diamagnetism, electrolysis |
19th century |
|
12 |
Stephen Hawking |
Hawking radiation, black holes, cosmology, popular science |
20th–21st century |
|
13 |
Erwin Schr?dinger |
Wave mechanics, Schr?dinger equation, quantum theory |
20th century |
|
14 |
Johannes Kepler |
Laws of planetary motion, optics |
17th century |
|
15 |
Galileo Galilei |
Telescopic astronomy, free-fall motion, inertia (pre-Newton) |
17th century |
|
16 |
Lise Meitner |
Co-discovery of nuclear fission (uncredited by Nobel), nuclear physics |
20th century |
|
17 |
Hendrik Lorentz |
Lorentz transformations, electrodynamics |
19th–20th century |
|
18 |
Murray Gell-Mann |
Quark theory, particle classification (Eightfold Way) |
20th century |
|
19 |
J.J. Thomson |
Discovery of the electron |
19th–20th century |
|
20 |
Leonard Susskind |
String theory, holographic principle, black hole physics |
20th–21st century |
Top 20 Scientists of All Time
|
# |
Name |
Field(s) |
Key Contributions |
|
1 |
Isaac Newton (1643–1727) |
Physics, Mathematics |
Laws of motion, universal gravitation, calculus (co-inventor), optics |
|
2 |
Albert Einstein (1879–1955) |
Physics |
Theory of relativity (special general), mass-energy equivalence (E=mc?) |
|
3 |
Charles Darwin (1809–1882) |
Biology |
Theory of evolution by natural selection |
|
4 |
Marie Curie (1867–1934) |
Chemistry, Physics |
Radioactivity research, discovered polonium radium; 2 Nobel Prizes |
|
5 |
Galileo Galilei (1564–1642) |
Astronomy, Physics |
Telescope improvements, heliocentrism, laws of motion |
|
6 |
Nikola Tesla (1856–1943) |
Electrical Engineering, Physics |
AC electricity, wireless communication, induction motor |
|
7 |
Louis Pasteur (1822–1895) |
Microbiology, Chemistry |
Germ theory, pasteurization, vaccines for rabies anthrax |
|
8 |
Aristotle (384–322 BCE) |
Natural Philosophy |
Early biology, logic, ethics; foundational thinker in science and philosophy |
|
9 |
James Clerk Maxwell (1831–1879) |
Physics |
Electromagnetic theory, Maxwell’s equations |
|
10 |
Dmitri Mendeleev (1834–1907) |
Chemistry |
Created the periodic table, predicted elements |
|
11 |
Stephen Hawking (1942–2018) |
Cosmology, Physics |
Black hole radiation (Hawking radiation), popularizing science |
|
12 |
Gregor Mendel (1822–1884) |
Genetics |
Father of modern genetics, laws of inheritance |
|
13 |
Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519) |
Engineering, Anatomy, Art |
Anatomical studies, visionary designs, polymath genius |
|
14 |
Richard Feynman (1918–1988) |
Physics |
Quantum electrodynamics, Feynman diagrams, science communication |
|
15 |
Alan Turing (1912–1954) |
Mathematics, Computer Science |
Turing machine, breaking Enigma code, father of theoretical computer science |
|
16 |
Carl Linnaeus (1707–1778) |
Taxonomy, Botany |
Binomial nomenclature, system for classifying organisms |
|
17 |
Niels Bohr (1885–1962) |
Physics |
Atomic structure, quantum theory development |
|
18 |
Michael Faraday (1791–1867) |
Physics, Chemistry |
Electromagnetism, electrochemistry, electric motor |
|
19 |
Johannes Kepler (1571–1630) |
Astronomy, Mathematics |
Laws of planetary motion, optics |
|
20 |
Rosalind Franklin (1920–1958) |
Molecular Biology |
X-ray crystallography; key to discovery of DNA structure |
Chen-Ning Yang (楊振寧) is widely regarded as one of the most influential physicists of the 20th century. While ranking scientists is inherently subjective, Yang would typically be placed among the top 25–50 physicists of all time, and in the top 10–15 theoretical physicists of the 20th century, especially when considering his foundational impact on modern physics.
