Johann Heinrich Lambert (1728–1777)
Swiss mathematician and physicist whose work advanced geometry, optics, and proof of the irrationality of pi.
View Notable Birthdays by Day:
Born on This Day: August 26
Antoine Lavoisier (1743–1794)
French chemist whose work on combustion, measurement, and nomenclature helped establish modern chemistry.
Lee de Forest (1873–1961)
American inventor whose vacuum-tube amplifier made radio, sound film, and electronic communication practical.
Albert Sabin (1906–1993)
Polish-American physician whose oral polio vaccine helped control the disease worldwide.
Mother Teresa (1910–1997)
Albanian-Indian religious sister whose care for the poor inspired global humanitarian service.
Katherine Johnson (1918–2020)
American mathematician whose orbital calculations were crucial to early United States spaceflight.
Ben Bradlee (1921–2014)
American editor whose leadership at The Washington Post strengthened investigative journalism.
Macaulay Culkin (b. 1980)
American actor whose childhood performances became enduring parts of popular cinema.