Born on This Day: September 24

English writer and politician whose The Castle of Otranto helped establish Gothic fiction.

French engineer whose neon-lighting technology transformed advertising and urban design.

American novelist whose work became a defining literary portrait of the Jazz Age.

Australian pharmacologist whose team developed penicillin into a practical life-saving treatment.

Spanish-American biochemist whose work on RNA synthesis advanced molecular biology.

American puppeteer whose Muppets transformed children’s television and family entertainment.

American photographer and advocate whose work influenced music photography, vegetarianism, and animal welfare.

English singer whose recordings became enduring parts of popular music and Liverpool culture.