5 Most Influential Scientists of All Time

2. Galileo Galilei

Insider Monkey Score: 17

Galileo Galilei, often simply called Galileo, was an Italian polymath encompassing the roles of astronomer, physicist, and engineer. Born in the city of Pisa, part of the Duchy of Florence at the time, he is renowned as the “father” of modern science. Proficient in mathematics and physics, Galileo emphasized facts over myths, which put him at odds with the Catholic Church. Despite facing adversity, he navigated through it admirably, ushering in an era of scrutiny, research, and candor in the scientific world. In addition to defending scientific truths, he left a lasting legacy through various significant contributions. observer to record telescopic sightings of lunar mountains, Jupiter’s moons, Venus’s phases, and Saturn’s rings. Moreover, he was the inventor of an early form of microscope and a precursor to the thermometer.