Mike,
As it seems you are up on your history I was wondering if you could enumerate an unsung "difference makers" list you might have according to the following restrictions, and give a small explanation as to why and or what that person(s) did to gain your respect:
1)must be in the sciences(social, environmental, agricultural, natural, physical). In other words, no Shakespeares, Rembrants, or Beethovens. And no politicians unless they pioneered a new and fruitful concept. Economics is okay, although I suppose these days it isn't considered much of a science. Inventors are okay too, so long as they cleverly exploited some concept in science and aren't well known.
2)Must have made difference that we benefit from today so please let's not go back any further than the 17th century AD.
3)If this person(s) you have in mind won a Nobel or equivalent, that's okay so long as it isn't a name that the vast majority of people would recognize, like Einstein, Pauling or Watson. But I imagine there are plenty of unsung personages that never got recognized with a prestigious award.
If anyone else would like to chime in that would be great. I'd like to use the list to gather some summer reading material, although, being relatively obscure there might not be any books on these people and their accomplishments, but at least there will be something on the web.
I've got some ideas myself but don't want to influence anyone. And this is the Ask Michael Burke thread, not Ask GuinnessGuy, after all. <g>
craig |
