Browse the index
Filter by category and discipline, then by continent, country and century of birth. Countries not yet represented can be drafted at the research desk.
Category
Disciplines in Natural Sciences
Physics, chemistry, biology, astronomy and the sciences of the earth and brain.
Era
5 figures
Ptolemy
100 – 170The Almagest ruled astronomy for 1,400 years; his Geography guided Columbus.
Egypt·Astronomy · Mathematics
Hypatia of Alexandria
360 – 415Mathematician and astronomer murdered by a mob; symbol of learning against zealotry.
Egypt·Mathematics · Astronomy · Philosophy
Wangari Maathai
1940 – 2011Green Belt Movement founder; 51 million trees and a democracy campaign.
Kenya·Peace · BiologyNobel
Ahmed Zewail
1946 – 2016Founded femtochemistry, filming chemical bonds as they break.
Egypt·ChemistryNobel
Mia Couto
b. 1955Biologist-novelist who reinvented Portuguese in Mozambican terms.
Mozambique·Literature · Biology