Stephen Hawking (Photo by Koca Vehbi on Shutterstock)

We’ve all learned about famous scientists like Albert Einstein and Isaac Newton in history and science classes. Their groundbreaking theories shaped our understanding of the world. But which modern scientists are making waves today? Although their names aren’t as widely known, these contemporary pioneers are making significant contributions in various fields, and it’s time to give them the recognition they deserve. From seven leading science-based websites, we’ve compiled a list of the most important modern scientists who have had a significant impact on the world. Did we miss anyone who should be on the list? Let us know below!

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1. Timothy Berners-Lee

You wouldn’t be reading this if it weren’t for Timothy Berners-Lee, and that’s why he’s at the top of our list of the best scientists working today. You may not know his name, but Berners-Lee created a little thing called the World Wide Web. Remember when we called it that? This British computer scientist proposed sharing information through hypertext, better known as HTML, the cornerstone of the Internet. Big Think also points out that he created the world’s first website in 1991.

One of Berners-Lee’s most famous quotes is: “The web not only connects machines, it also connects people.” And he’s right! With the birth of the Internet, a whole new world opened up and we had access to information and people we didn’t have access to before. He hasn’t invented anything as big since then, but he doesn’t have to. Sci Journal reports that he continues to work on improving how people interact with technology through his foundation called The World Wide Web Foundation (WWWF).

Berners-Lee is so influential that the late Queen Elizabeth even knighted him for his invention. In 2013, Bria said, he founded the Alliance for Affordable Internet and has worked with tech giants like Google, Facebook, Intel and Microsoft. Time magazine included him on its list of the 100 most important people of the 20th century. I’d say that was justified.

2. Stephen Hawking

According to Big Think, Stephen Hawking is a better known name than Timothy Berners-Lee, mainly because of his bestseller “A Brief History of Time.” The British theoretical physicist and cosmologist, who died in 2018, made the groundbreaking prediction that black holes emit radiationHawking, who was confined to a wheelchair for most of his life, also served as an inspiration to people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and other disabilities.

Stephen Hawking’s book became a bestseller because he wrote it for readers with no prior knowledge of physics. It was easy to understand and used mostly non-technical terms to explain advanced concepts from physics and astronomy. Bria believes his goal was to inspire curious minds by making the wonders of space accessible to everyone.

Hawking’s influence was not limited to popularizing science. He wrote many other scientific books that fascinated and enlightened readers around the world. New Engineer notes that he worked with Roger Penrose to develop theorems about gravitational singularities within the framework of general relativity.

3. Alan Guth

Ever heard of “cosmic inflation”? No, it’s not what you see in the supermarket these days. It’s a theory developed by Alan Guth, an American theoretical physicist and cosmologist. Thanks to his discoveries, we now understand the Big Bang theory and why the universe is so big.writes Big Think.

Guth’s theory also helps to explain why the earth is flat and why everything appears uniform. It even explains why certain materials have different phases or compositions (are heterogeneous), says Bria. He won the Prize for Fundamental Physics and the Kavli Prize and is considered one of the most important scientists of our generation.

Beyond his research, Guth, like Stephen Hawking, was an influential educator and communicator, making complex scientific concepts accessible to a wider audience. New Books in Sci-Tech believes his work will continue to inspire new generations of physicists and cosmologists.

4. Jane Goodall

The British primatologist Jane Goodall is probably the most famous human in the primate world and the only woman on our list. She is considered a leading chimpanzee expert and has shown that chimpanzees can learn to make and use tools like humans. She also discovered their ability to use violence in the wild to survive. Bria explains that Goodall is committed to conservation and other environmental causes.

Thanks to Goodall’s groundbreaking work over the past 55 years, our understanding of the chimpanzee world has expanded dramatically, cementing her status as a top scientist. According to Big Think, her contributions have changed our perception of primates and their capabilities. The Jane Goodall Institute was founded to advance her work and vision.

Since primates are considered our closest relatives, it’s not surprising that they can do many of the things we can. However, it took someone like Jane Goodall to bring this research into the mainstream, which is why Super Scholar and other respected platforms consider her one of the greatest scientific minds of our time.

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