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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
Era
7 figures
Cai Lun
50 – 121Standardised papermaking, the substrate of recorded civilisation.
China·Engineering
Zhang Heng
78 – 139Built the first seismoscope and mapped 2,500 stars.
China·Astronomy · Engineering · Literature
Su Song
1020 – 1101Built an astronomical clock tower with the first known escapement chain drive.
China·Engineering · Astronomy
Shen Kuo
1031 – 1095Described the magnetic compass and deduced geological deep time.
China·Astronomy · Engineering · History
Sejong the Great
1397 – 1450Commissioned Hangul, the alphabet that made Korea literate.
South Korea·Literature · Engineering
Mimar Sinan
1489 – 1588Built over 300 structures including the Selimiye Mosque; Ottoman master architect.
Türkiye·Engineering
Taiichi Ohno
1912 – 1990Designed the Toyota Production System — lean manufacturing worldwide.
Japan·Business · Engineering