Everyone’s heard of Einstein, Newton, Galileo, and Darwin. But they weren’t the only people who advanced our understanding of the physical universe by leaps and bounds. Sadly, many other men and women (emphasis on women, whose contributions to science have historically but unsurprisingly been criminally overlooked) never got the recognition they deserved for their hard work and groundbreaking discoveries.
The following researchers essentially founded epidemiology, discovered the Big Bang, laid out the periodic table of the elements, and made vital contributions to discoveries that other people got the credit for, like pulsars and the double helix structure of DNA. Maybe it’s time we give these big brains a little more love.
10. John Snow
Most people know nothing about John Snow. But that’s a shame, because this 19th-century English researcher made groundbreaking contributions that forever altered the fields of public health and epidemiology, centering around his investigations into a cholera outbreak in mid-1800s London. When people across the city began falling seriously ill, Snow painstakingly studied and mapped the outbreak’s geographical distribution, identifying patterns that led him to the source of contamination.
Through meticulous record-keeping and a combination of statistical analysis and observational data, he traced the majority of cases to a single water pump on Broad Street. Snow’s insights challenged the prevailing miasma theory, which blamed foul odors for the spread of diseases, and instead pointed to contaminated water as the primary culprit. His pioneering approach effectively established the foundation for modern epidemiology and became a testament to the power of data-driven decision-making. As if that wasn’t impressive enough, Snow also pioneered the field of surgical anesthesiology. So a pretty enormous number of people ever since have been spared short, brutal lifetimes of illness and suffering because of this one guy. How is he not a household name?
9. Dmitri Mendeleev
He’s far from unknown in the scientific community, but Dmitri Mendeleev isn’t exactly the household name he should be. Which is a surprise, since anyone who’s studied chemistry in school or seen an episode of Breaking Bad, has certainly come across his work. Yes, Mendeleev is responsible for developing the periodic table of the elements.
His simple visual representation organized elements based on their properties and atomic weights, making the subject far easier to study for everyone. (We’re not saying it’s easy, but imagine passing 9th grade without it!) In 1869, he unveiled his creation, arranging the then-known elements into rows and columns, while still leaving gaps for yet-to-be-discovered ones. Remarkably, Mendeleev’s foresight allowed him to accurately predict the existence and properties of several elements that were unknown at the time, earning him widespread acclaim even after his death. His periodic table provided a comprehensive framework for understanding the relationships between elements and facilitated the prediction of new elements with remarkable precision, transforming chemistry and serving as the cornerstone for countless scientific discoveries and advancements in fields ranging from materials science to medicine. Let’s give the guy a little more love.
8. Fritz Haber
Fritz Haber‘s contributions to science occupy a complex, and sadly controversial, space. On the one hand, this German chemist’s pioneering work in the field of chemical synthesis revolutionized agriculture, when he developed a process for synthesizing ammonia, a crucial component in the production of fertilizers, in 1909. This landmark discovery, known as the Haber-Bosch process, played a pivotal role in bolstering agricultural productivity and alleviating global food shortages, saving countless lives.
However, Haber’s involvement in chemical warfare during World War I tarnished his reputation, as he led the development of chlorine and other poisonous gasses used to murderous effect on the battlefield: one of the darkest chapters of the war. This dual legacy has sparked ongoing discussions regarding the ethical responsibilities of scientists and the ethical boundaries of scientific advancements.
It’s highly likely his positive contributions outweighed his negative ones by saving countless innocent lives from starvation, but it’s impossible to decouple his name from the horrors of the trenches.
7. Lise Meitner
Despite being a brilliant physicist whose contributions paved the way for groundbreaking discoveries, Lise Meitner’s name remains unfairly obscure to the general public. As a female scientist working in a male-dominated field, Meitner’s remarkable achievements were often overshadowed in favor of her supervisors and partners, even when it was her contributions that moved the ball forward.
Meitner’s crowning achievement came in the late 1930s when she, along with colleague Otto Hahn, discovered nuclear fission, helping to set the stage for the atomic age. Through meticulous experimentation and theoretical insights, Meitner and Hahn discovered that bombarding uranium atoms with neutrons resulted in their splitting into smaller nuclei, followed by the release of an enormous amount of energy. This groundbreaking breakthrough laid the foundation for nuclear energy and, sadly, weaponry. Although Meitner’s pivotal role in the discovery was undeniable, she was unjustly overlooked when Hahn was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry alone in 1944. Nevertheless, her intellectual contributions and unwavering determination continue to inspire future generations of scientists. She did get some accolades later in life and after her death, however. Perhaps most notably, element 109, the heaviest element known to science, was named Meitnerium in her honor in 1992.
6. Rosalind Franklin
Everyone’s heard of James Watson and Francis Crick, who discovered the distinctive double helix structure of DNA. But let’s not forget Rosalind Franklin, the unsung hero of this scientific saga, whose pioneering work in X-ray crystallography gave us crucial images that helped crack the code. In particular, “Photo 51,” one of her many X-ray diffraction photographs, provided the smoking gun Watson and Crick later used to make their groundbreaking discovery. Unfortunately, Franklin’s contributions were initially overlooked due to sexism of the day, poor reporting, and other factors, leaving her in the shadows of scientific recognition.
Tragically, her early death in 1958 further dimmed the spotlight on her accomplishments. But in recent years, there’s been a growing appreciation for her expertise, dedication, and vital role in one of the greatest scientific moments of the 20th century. The scientific community has begun to recognize Franklin as an essential figure in the discovery of DNA’s structure. It’s time the public does, too.
5. Norman Borlaug
There are many reasons mass hunger is no longer a major killer, even though there are vastly more mouths to feed today than there used to be when it was. There are many reasons for this, but Norman Borlaug, “Father of the Green Revolution,” is near the top of the list. His pioneering work in crop breeding and modernizing agricultural practices had an enormous impact on global food production, saving billions from famine. Yet, amazingly, he’s not the household name he deserves to be.
Borlaug dedicated his life to developing high-yielding and disease-resistant crop varieties, launching the “Green Revolution.” By crossbreeding different strains of wheat and incorporating modern farming techniques, Borlaug achieved astonishing results, successfully developing varieties that could withstand harsh conditions and deliver higher yields, helping to feed a rapidly growing global population.
His revolutionary work extended beyond the laboratory, too. He shared his knowledge and collaborated with farmers and scientists worldwide, advocating for the adoption of modern agricultural practices. Soon, Asia, Latin America, and Africa were reaping the benefits.
Fortunately ,Borlaug’s remarkable achievements did not go unnoticed in the scientific community, earning him a Nobel Peace Prize in 1970 for his work.
4. Jocelyn Bell Burnell
As a young postgraduate student at Cambridge University in the 1960s, Jocelyn Bell Burnell made a remarkable discovery, while analyzing data from a radio telescope she helped construct: a highly precise, rhythmic pattern of radio signals originating from deep space. These mysterious signals, initially dubbed “LGM-1” (short for “Little Green Men”), turned out to be pulsars—rapidly spinning neutron stars with immense magnetic fields. The discovery, a testament to Burnell’s tenacity and scientific prowess, has inspired countless scientists and continues to be a captivating reminder of the wonders awaiting exploration beyond our world.
But she never got the recognition she deserved, with the 1974 Nobel Prize for the discovery going to two men instead: her supervisor, Antony Hewish, and astronomer Martin Ryle.
Jocelyn Bell Burnell’s pioneering spirit and enduring legacy remind us of the boundless possibilities of scientific exploration and the importance of recognizing the contributions of scientists from all backgrounds. Sadly, it’s also a reminder of just how recently we were completely overlooking the contributions of women, even when they were proving their ability in front of our faces.
3. Georges Lamaitre
When pondering the origins of the universe, the name Georges Lemaître is one that deserves a lot more recognition than it actually gets. This Belgian priest, mathematician, and astronomer proposed a radical idea in the early 20th century: that the universe originated from an initial, infinitesimally small singularity and expanded rapidly: a cosmic explosion known ever after as the “Big Bang.” Building upon Einstein’s theory of general relativity, Lemaître developed mathematical models that supported the concept, laying the groundwork for the modern incarnation of the theory and revolutionizing our understanding of the universe forever.
Lemaître’s theories were met with initial skepticism in the scientific community (and plenty of cultural backlash today), but gained recognition and acceptance among his peers over time. Today, his ideas form the very basis of modern cosmology, and serve as a much-needed reminder that science and faith don’t need to be eternally at odds. Maybe if more people knew that a priest first proposed the concept of the Big Bang, his theories wouldn’t have caused such a cultural rift.
2. Barbara McClintock
Despite her groundbreaking contributions in the field of genetics, Barbara McClintock‘s name remains almost entirely unfamiliar outside the scientific community. But that really shouldn’t be the case. Through her meticulous research on maize (corn) plants, McClintock made a groundbreaking discovery in the 1940s: she unveiled the existence of mobile genetic elements, known as transposons or “jumping genes,” which can change their position within the genome. Sounds a little convoluted, we’ll admit, but this discovery challenged the prevailing notion that genes were static entities and shed light on the dynamic nature of genetic regulation.
As is the case with most groundbreaking discoveries that challenge the prevailing understanding of the day (especially those made by women), McClintock’s work was initially met with skepticism and largely overlooked by the scientific community. It wasn’t until several decades later that her discoveries were fully appreciated, eventually making her the first woman to ever receive the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, in 1983.
McClintock’s discoveries transformed our understanding of genetic regulation, highlighting the intricate dance of genes within our genomes. And her legacy is a reminder that science is all about challenging what we think we know, even if it forces us to toss existing theories in the trash.
1. Gerty and Carl Cori
Ever heard of Gerty and Carl Cori, a husband and wife duo who changed our understanding of carbohydrate metabolism? Yeah, probably not (as evidenced by their placement on this list). But it’s time we change that.
In the early 20th century, the Coris focused their research on understanding the intricate processes by which carbohydrates are broken down and utilized in the body. They elucidated the biochemical pathway now known as the Cori cycle, explaining how glucose is converted into energy and stored as glycogen in the liver. This discovery was instrumental in unraveling the complexities of carbohydrate metabolism and provided key insights into disorders such as diabetes and glycogen storage diseases. So yes, their research saved lives. Perhaps even yours.
Despite their groundbreaking work, prevailing gender norms of the time robbed them of well-earned recognition. Gerty, in particular, encountered obstacles in her career progression and often went unrecognized for her contributions. Nevertheless, they were jointly awarded the 1947 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their discoveries related to carbohydrate metabolism.