[Misc] Who are the true British geniuses? (and it's not 'genii' - I checked)

[Bry Nylon]

Inspired by the Alan Turing thread, who are the true British geniuses in their field throughout history?

For the purposes of this thread, 'genius' is defined as "an exceptionally intelligent person or one with exceptional skill in a particular area of activity."

So who qualifies, in the spheres of science, technology, the arts, academia, medicine, business, politics, sport or any other pursuit?

 

[Doonhamer7]

Adam Smith - economist

 

[fisons]

Inspired by the Alan Turing thread, who are the true British geniuses in their field throughout history?

For the purposes of this thread, 'genius' is defined as "an exceptionally intelligent person or one with exceptional skill in a particular area of activity."

So who qualifies, in the spheres of science, technology, the arts, academia, medicine, business, politics, sport or any other pursuit?

Two nominations from me: Johnny Crumplin and Graham Potter

 

[theboybilly]

For me Isambard Kingdom Brunel was a true genius

 

[Doonhamer7]

As a civil engineer I would say Joseph Bazalgette and Thomas Telford were better than IKB

 

[Moshe Gariani]

Ronnie

 

[pastafarian]

Charles Darwin (big shout out too for Alfred Wallace)

 

[clapham_gull]

Turing and George Boole.

Berners Lee has to have a shout out, but not in the same breath as the above.

 

[Baldseagull]

I nominate Johnny Crumplin.

Edit: Sorry, I second Johnny Crumplin

 

[beorhthelm]

Newton

are we nominate for a league to find the best?

 

[clapham_gull]

Newton

are we nominate for a league to find the best?

I'd (controversially for some) put Turing above Newton in a league table.

 

[Goldstone1976]

Newton, Shakespeare, Maxwell, Faraday, Dirac, and Ward.

 

[GT49er]

As a civil engineer I would say Joseph Bazalgette and Thomas Telford were better than IKB

The Stephensons were up there too.

 

[essbee1]

I'd (controversially for some) put Turin above Newton in a league table.

Come on Clapham - TurinG.

 

[clapham_gull]

Come on Clapham - TurinG.

I do that ALL the time. No idea why. Before you posted, I went back and corrected my posts

I do a bit of SQL database training every now and then and a common word is "COUNT"

And yes, I often drop the O.

 

[Weststander]

Chain, Fleming & Florey - their pioneering work produced the first pure compound antibiotic.

Countless millions of lives saved, average life expectancy extended, as a result.

[Awaiting @HWT to dismiss this as all in day’s work for scientists).

 

[Bry Nylon]

Sir Christopher Wren deserves a mention.

How the **** you can build something like St Paul’s Cathedral without a computer is utterly beyond me.

In fact how you can build something like St Paul’s Cathedral with a computer is still utterly beyond me.

 

[essbee1]

I do that ALL the time. No idea why. Before you posted, I went back and corrected my posts

I do a bit of SQL database training every now and then and a common word is "COUNT"

And yes, I often drop the O.

Fair enough Clappers

 

[drew]

I'd nominate Charles Babbage, seen by many as the father of the computer, the device that dominates our everyday lives.

Second nomination would be also be for Darwin who put a massive spanner in the religious doctrines that had dominated thinking for eons. Possibly not the start but most definitely the sledgehammer that started to put science ahead of myths!!

 

[Yes Chef]

George Orwell