20 famous physicists and their contributions

Classical PeriodWilliam Gilbert 1544-1603
English hypothesized that the Earth is a giant magnetGalileo Galilei 1564-1642
Italian performed fundamental observations, experiments, and mathematical analyses in astronomy and physics; discovered mountains and craters on the moon, the phases of Venus, and the four largest satellites of Jupiter: Io, Europa, Callisto, and GanymedeWillebrod Snell 1580-1626
Dutch discovered law of refraction (Snell's law)Blaise Pascal 1623-1662
French discovered that pressure applied to an enclosed fluid is transmitted undiminished to every part of the fluid and to the walls of its container (Pascal's principle)Christiaan Huygens 1629-1695
Dutch proposed a simple geometrical wave theory of light, now known as ``Huygen's principle''; pioneered use of the pendulum in clocksRobert Hooke 1635-1703
English discovered Hooke's law of elasticity Sir Isaac Newton 1643-1727
English developed theories of gravitation and mechanics, and invented differential calculusDaniel Bernoulli 1700-1782
Swiss developed

Physics is everywhere. From falling apples to the motion of planets in our solar system, we all know that Physics plays a very important role in making sure the world around us behaves as it does. 

But who are the people responsible for building our understanding of how the Universe works? And how have they impacted the knowledge of Physics we have today?  

Well, over the past 500 or so years, there have been tremendous contributions to the understanding of Physics, with hundreds of budding scientists adding valuable theories to the discussion.

And out of these, there are a few who have gone on to earn worldwide recognition for making pioneering discoveries, and thus, revolutionising the world as we know it today. 

If you’re wondering, “who is the most famous physicist?” Then you’ve come to the right place - with our list of 4 famous physicists and the theories that made them leading thinkers within this field of science. 

Ready to get inspired? Let’s dive in. 

1. Sir Isaac Newton (1642 - 1727)

Sir Isaac Newton: British-born mathematician, physicist, astronomer, theol

Some of the most famous physicists in history include Albert Einstein, known for his groundbreaking theories of relativity and mass-energy equivalence; Isaac Newton, whose laws of motion and gravity revolutionized the study of physics and laid the groundwork for modern calculus; Marie Curie, the first woman to win a Nobel Prize and a pioneer in the study of radioactivity; and Stephen Hawking, who made groundbreaking contributions to the study of black holes and the origins of the universe despite being diagnosed with a debilitating motor neuron disease.

However, these are just some examples of scientists that have contributed to the understanding of the physical world. There are many more names, some of which we will touch upon in this article and our famous physicists series. Curious? Keep reading!

Scientists in physics

Physics is one of the main branches of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). It contains many fields of study within it, like nuclear physics, mechanics, electronics, etc. and it is closely linked with mathematics.

Even though we cons

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