November 28

Born in 1502 near Frankenberg, Georg Major studied under Martin Luther and Philip Melanchthon at the University of Wittenberg. He became a professor of theology and later served as rector at the University of Frankfurt (Oder). Major engaged in the Marburg Colloquy and controversies over the Eucharist, advocating a balanced Lutheran position. He authored textbooks that shaped Protestant teaching and supported educational reforms. Major died in 1574, leaving a lasting legacy in early Lutheran orthodoxy.

Jean de Thévenot (1633–1667) was a French linguist, botanist, and explorer famed for his detailed travel journals. He journeyed across the Middle East, Persia, India, and Southeast Asia, studying local languages and flora. His publications, including Relations de divers voyages, offered some of the first European botanical descriptions of exotic plants. Thévenot's linguistic prowess helped him communicate with diverse cultures and record regional dialects. His observations bridged scientific inquiry with vivid narrative, influencing later explorers and naturalists.

Athanasius Kircher (1601–1680) was a German Jesuit scholar celebrated as the 'last Renaissance man.' His voluminous writings attempted to explain everything from ancient hieroglyphs to subterranean geology. Kircher established one of Europe's first natural history museums in Rome, the Musaeum Kircherianum. He published groundbreaking studies on magnetism, language origins, and musical acoustics. Though some theories were later revised, his curiosity and interdisciplinary approach inspired centuries of research.

Anthony Wood (1632–1695), known as Anthony à Wood, was a pioneering English antiquarian and historian. His magnum opus, Athenae Oxonienses, chronicles the lives of Oxford scholars and the university's development. Wood's rigorous archival research and biographical sketches set new standards for historical writing. Despite facing censorship and personal setbacks, he persevered in collecting manuscripts and documents. Wood's work continues to inform scholars of British academic and cultural history.

Déodat Gratet de Dolomieu was a leading figure in early geology, challenging prevailing theories about volcanic and sedimentary rocks. His detailed studies of the Alps gave rise to the term 'dolomite' for the unique carbonate rock he identified. As a member of the French Academy of Sciences, he published influential works on mineralogy and earth science. Dolomieu also served in academic circles, promoting systematic geological classification. Despite political turmoil during the French Revolution and his imprisonment in Naples, he continued his scientific pursuits. His contributions laid foundations for modern geology and the understanding of mountain formation.

Caterina Scarpellini was an Italian astronomer and meteorologist born in Foligno in 1808, known for her meticulous celestial observations. In 1854, she discovered the comet C/1854 L1, earning recognition from the scientific community and contributing to 19th-century astronomy. Scarpellini was appointed director of the meteorological observatory at the Collegio Romano in 1856, where she recorded temperature, pressure, and precipitation data. Her work laid the foundation for systematic weather forecasting in Italy and advanced the study of climatology. A dedicated educator, she published several meteorological bulletins and inspired future generations of women scientists before her death in 1873.

Erich Moritz von Hornbostel (1877–1935) was an Austrian musicologist and ethnomusicologist recognized as one of the founders of comparative musicology. Collaborating with Curt Sachs, he developed the Hornbostel-Sachs classification, a widely adopted system for categorizing musical instruments based on acoustical principles. Hornbostel's research spanned African, Asian, and European musical traditions, emphasizing the scientific study of sound and performance contexts. He held academic positions across Europe, lecturing on music theory and organology at leading universities. His publications influenced the emergence of ethnomusicology as a distinct discipline. Hornbostel's classification system remains a cornerstone in museum collections and scholarly research worldwide.

James Naismith (1861–1939) was a Canadian-American physical educator, physician, and sports innovator credited with inventing basketball in 1891 at the YMCA International Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts. Seeking an indoor activity to keep athletes fit during winter, he crafted thirteen original rules and used a peach basket as the first goal. Naismith's game rapidly gained popularity, spreading across North America and evolving into a global sport. He later became the first basketball coach at the University of Kansas, where he influenced early training methods. His emphasis on teamwork, fair play, and structured competition laid the foundation for modern basketball culture. Naismith's vision continues to shape the sport at all levels today.

Frank Rudolf Olson (1910–1953) was an American biochemist and Army bacteriologist who conducted research on offensive biological warfare during and after World War II at the U.S. Army Biological Warfare Laboratories. In 1953, his unexplained death, officially ruled a suicide after a fall from a New York City hotel window, sparked controversy and allegations of a CIA cover-up involving unwitting exposure to LSD. The subsequent investigations and a family lawsuit revealed classified details about covert human experimentation and the ethics of government-sponsored research. Olson's case prompted Congressional inquiries and reforms in regulations governing informed consent and medical research. His story remains a poignant reminder of the moral complexities surrounding scientific innovation and national security.

Born in Italy in 1901, Fermi made groundbreaking contributions to quantum theory and nuclear physics. He won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1938 for his work on neutron-induced radioactivity. Emigrated to the United States in 1938, he joined the Manhattan Project and oversaw the first controlled nuclear chain reaction at the University of Chicago in 1942. Known as the 'architect of the nuclear age', his research laid the foundation for both nuclear power and atomic weaponry. Fermi was a beloved educator, mentoring a generation of physicists who would shape 20th-century science. He died in 1954, leaving a legacy of scientific achievement that continues to influence physics research today.

Born in 1913 in China, Choh Hao Li earned his doctorate at the University of California, Berkeley, studying protein chemistry. He joined the National Institutes of Health in 1947, where he developed advanced purification methods for pituitary hormones. In 1956, his team successfully isolated human growth hormone and determined its molecular structure, revolutionizing endocrinology. Li also pioneered radioimmunoassay techniques for measuring hormone levels, impacting diagnostics and treatment. He published extensively and mentored generations of researchers in hormonal biology. Choh Hao Li died in 1987, leaving a profound legacy in biochemical and medical research.

Born in 1918, Mihkel Mathiesen trained as a civil engineer at the University of Tartu before embarking on a career that blended technical expertise with public service. After fleeing Soviet-occupied Estonia in 1944, he became active in the Estonian government in exile. Mathiesen served as Prime Minister in duties of the President from 1992 until his death, advocating for international recognition of Estonia's independence. Under his leadership, the government in exile maintained diplomatic efforts and supported the re-establishment of democratic institutions in Estonia. He was respected for his unwavering commitment to his homeland and his ability to bridge the gap between engineering problem-solving and political strategy. Mathiesen passed away in 2003, shortly after witnessing the restoration of Estonia's sovereignty.