Engineering has been extremely relevant in human history and progress. It has brought mankind wonders that were not possible in earlier times. But this process has been slow and gradual and was built atop the shoulders of giants. Certain key figures revolutionized the understanding of various fields of engineering and uncovered new frontiers. Some of these most popular and key engineering figures have been:
Nikola Tesla
Perhaps, one of the greatest and most underrated electrical engineers, Nikola Tesla was responsible for inventing the first Alternating Current and its transmission technology. He also produced other breakthroughs in the field such as the Tesla Coil, wireless energy, and many more which never came to fruition. His groundbreaking works paved for many technologies in common use today hence his name stands tall in the upper echelons of great scientists.
Leonardo Da Vinci
While everyone recognizes his name and his most famous work, Mona Lisa, this man of my talents also produced many other works in a diverse range of fields such as optics, geology, civil engineering, et cetera. He constructed conceptual ideas ahead of his time such as the parachute, helicopter, solar power, and calculator. This helped future engineers and scientists to build upon his work and advance the various fields of engineering. Hence Leonardo Da Vinci has been widely influential in scientific history and remains a household name to this day.
Galileo Galilei
Galileo was an Italian scientist who played a pivotal role in the development of mechanics and astronomy. He studied various mechanical aspects such as speed, velocity, projectile motion, and the characteristics of pendulums. He also invented many devices commonly used today like the thermoscope, military compasses, and utilized telescopes in the field of astronomy. He was among one of the first scientific minds to take a stance against heliocentrism and received intense religious scrutiny as a result. Galileo continues to be an inspirational figure in science and astronomy.