When I think of the most important scientists in history, people whose work totally revolutionized the way we think about reality, three names pop up immediately.
1.) Isaac Newton – Theoretical Physicist, Experimental Physicist, and Mathematician. Isaac Newton is arguably the most intelligent human being (known) to ever exist. His mind operated on levels that truly dwarf most of his intellectual ancestors and successors. He discovered the laws of optics, explained celestial mechanics, discovered the described the laws of gravity, did rudimentary chemistry, and invented a paradigm shifting and world altering field of mathematics called calculus.......and then he turned 26. He laid the foundations for classical mechanics, and thus the industrial revolution and the modern world in which we currently live. Seriously, this mofo revolutionized our world in ways that are still being revealed.
2.) Albert Einstein – Theoretical Physicist. Albert Einstein was by far the most important scientist of the 20th century, without whose pioneering work, we would be mostly clueless about the nature of the universe on very fundamental levels. The special theory of relativity unlocking the secret of the stars and the intimate nature between matter and energy, his work on the photoelectric effect helping found (to his dismay) the exceptionally important field of quantum mechanics which has revolutionized every aspect of technology and life in the 21st century, the general theory of relativity totally revolutionizing how we understand the dizzying facts behind the nature of gravity, space, time, and all of the foundations of modern physics and cosmology. And I could go on for quite some time. His impact on how we understand the nature of the universe, of reality, cannot sufficiently be explained here.
3.) Charles Darwin – Biologist and Geologist. This man's brilliant work totally revolutionized the field of biology with his theory of evolution by natural selection. Not only did it lay the foundation for all of modern biology and medicine, but its scientific underpinnings work on principles applicable to important aspects of the cosmos itself. Unifying all the life sciences, contributing invaluably to the field of genetics, and having groundbreaking implications for paleontology as well as several other fields, Darwin's contribution to modern science can only be described as momentous. Darwin's work has had a massive ripple effect not only in all the natural sciences, but has very important implications for non-scientific human philosophy as well.
Now that they are out of the way, if I could choose 5 others that I just personally consider my favorites, I'd have to choose (in no order):
1.) Carl Sagan - Astrophysicist, Astronomer, Cosmologist, and public communicator of science. His enthusiasm, love, and advocacy for science is nothing short of contagious, and his philosophical ponderings in light of the truths and mysteries of the cosmos can only be described as epically beautiful. His impact on people, young and old, all over the world by getting them interested in the STEM fields and helping all of us realize an awe-inspiring, uplifting, and humbling cosmic perspective was, is, and will always be forever precious. The world would surely be a much better, kinder, happier, and more exciting place if we all adopted his basic attitudes and saw the world, and one another, as he did.
2.) Neil deGrasse Tyson - Astrophysicist and public communicator of science. Much of what I have to say about NDT I have already said about Carl Sagan and much of what I say about NDT can also be said about Sagan; indeed, especially after the recent "Cosmos" series, NDT can be accurately described as our generation's Carl Sagan. But NDT isn't a clone; he's a uniquely humorous, no nonsense polemical, extremely likable, and phenomenal communicator of big and cosmically wonderful ideas who has taught so many so much about our place in the cosmos and what it has to offer. His advocacy of a strong space program and his insistence that we be realistic when it comes to the politics of space, makes him a personal hero of mine and millions of others.
3.) Michio Kaku –Theoretical Physicist and public communicator of science. Michio Kaku’s impact on me personally cannot be stressed enough. His popular science books are single-handedly responsible for getting me interested in what I call “big” science: Cosmology, quantum mechanics, relativity, string theory, multiple universes, and what has become a primary passion in my life: futurism. Futurism being the study of the future; what the past can teach us about the future, examining where current ideas will go, and what the future will bring technologically, scientifically, socially, and as a result of all 3 combined, existentially. If you’re interested in extreme ideas coming out of science, the future of technology, alien civilizations, robots, etc, Michio Kaku is your man.
4.) Richard Dawkins – Evolutionary biologist, Ethologist, Atheist philosopher, and public communicator of science. Richard Dawkins is by far the most controversial person on my list, but no matter what your opinion of Richard Dawkins, his contribution to evolutionary biology and especially its introduction to, and popularization with, the Western public is undeniable and invaluable. His proudly vicious campaign to expose religious human rights violations and brainwashing, to expose pseudoscience like intelligent design and young earth creationism for what it is, and to introduce the general public to the truths about the cosmos and of life on Earth as revealed by the scientific method has always influenced my own philosophy to do the same. His endeavor to teach people, especially young people, that they can be happy, fulfilled, ethical, successful, and spiritual without religion and dogma has greatly impacted me and I’m forever grateful for it.
5.) Stephen Hawking – Theoretical Physicist, Cosmologist, and public communicator of science. Stephen Hawking is easily the most famous living scientist and he attained that status for a reason. His contribution to quantum information theory, to the physical and mathematical nuances of black holes and gravitational singularities, and to deep questions in cosmology and theoretical physics in general is monumental. Not only is he a wonderful popularizer of science (who wrote what is arguably the most influential science book for the public ever published) and a brilliant scientist, but he’s an inspiration to disabled people all over the world. His philosophical ideas about things as various as the existence of God, aliens civilizations, and the future of the human species are thought-provoking and often contrary to the popular opinions of his colleagues, which makes for interesting and much needed debate about important topics.
Honorable mentions:
Richard Feynman (honestly he deserves to be on this list), Bill Nye, Brian Greene, Ray Kurzweil, and Michael Faraday. And pretty much all the major actors in quantum mechanics throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
