Wikimedia Commons
Scientific Discovery
Top 10 Most Influential Nobel Prize Winners in Science
From quantum mechanics and the photoelectric effect to DNA transposons and artemisinin, these ten laureates redefined physics, chemistry and medicine in ways that still drive research today. We ranked them by the lasting reach of their prize-winning work across modern science and technology. Vote for the winner whose legacy you think matters most, and share the list with a fellow science reader.
Location: DE202696 views
Top10Grid rankings are decided by votes, not algorithms — use the buttons below to move this list.
Current Rankings
Vote items up or down — rankings update instantly
Get the weekly science rundown
Only lists published since the last email. Join the early readers.
- Only Top 10s published in the last 7 days
- One email a week — and none at all in a week with nothing new
- Unsubscribe in one click
No spam. One email per week. Unsubscribe anytime.
Frequently Asked Questions About Nobel Prize Winners
Who is the only person to win two unshared Nobel Prizes? Linus Pauling, featured on this list, won the 1954 Chemistry prize and the 1962 Peace prize as sole laureate in both categories.
Which laureate on this list was the first woman to win a Nobel? Marie Curie, who took the 1903 Physics prize, became the first woman Nobel laureate and later won a second Nobel in Chemistry in 1911.
How was this list ordered? Items are ordered editorially by the lasting reach of each laureate's prize-winning work in modern science, not by prize year or field.
Who is the most recent winner on this list? Tu Youyou, awarded the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for the discovery of artemisinin.
Readers Also Ranked
More Lists Like This
Top 10 Ancient Chinese Inventions
- #1Paper (105 CE)
- #2Printing Press (Movable Type, 1040 CE)
- #3Gunpowder (9th century CE)
Top 10 Best Space Telescopes
- #1Hubble Space Telescope (1990–present)
- #2James Webb Space Telescope (2021–present)
- #3Chandra X-ray Observatory (1999–present)
Top 10 Best Neuroscience Breakthroughs
- #1Discovery of the Neuron Doctrine
- #2Neuroplasticity
- #3Optogenetics
Frequently asked questions
Who are typically included in lists of the top 10 best Nobel Prize winners in science?
Common inclusions are Albert Einstein (Physics 1921), Marie Curie (Physics 1903, Chemistry 1911), Niels Bohr (Physics 1922), and Francis Crick, James Watson, and Maurice Wilkins (Physiology/Medicine 1962).
What criteria are used to determine the 'best' Nobel Prize winners in science?
Criteria often include the transformative impact of the discovery, the number of Nobel Prizes won by an individual, and the lasting influence on scientific understanding.
Who is the only person to have won Nobel Prizes in two different scientific fields?
Marie Curie won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1903 and the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1911.
Which Nobel Prize-winning discovery is considered the most important in science?
Many consider the discovery of the structure of DNA (Watson, Crick, Wilkins) or the theory of relativity (Einstein) as among the most influential.
How many Nobel Prizes are awarded in science each year?
Three Nobel Prizes are awarded in science categories annually: Physics, Chemistry, and Physiology or Medicine.
Discussion
Have a take on this ranking?
Comments are how the argument actually happens here. Posting one needs a free account — it takes about a minute.
No comments yet.
The first comment sets the terms of the argument.
Would your top 10 look different?
Publish your own ranking of this topic. Your list gets its own page, and readers vote on it the same way you just voted on this one.
Build your own Top 10More Scientific Discoveries Rankings
6
Top 10 Best Scientific Instruments Ever Built
87 views · @admin
Top 10 Worst Scientific Frauds
87 views · @admin
Top 10 Most Controversial Science Theories
88 views · @admin
Top 10 Worst Science Funding Decisions
92 views · @admin
Stellar Nurseries: The Nebulae Shaping New Worlds
93 views · @admin
Top 10 Most Polarizing Scientific Studies
93 views · @admin
You might also want to rank…
Top 10 Space Missions That Changed Everything We Know
Top 10 World-Changing Inventions in Human History
Top 10 Science Podcasts That Make You Smarter in 30 Minutes
Top 10 Greatest Scientific Discoveries of All Time — That Changed the WorldExplore more Science rankings on Top10Grid
People Also Explore
Because you're viewing Science
Top 10 Best Renewable Energy Technologies
101 views · 0 votes
Humans in Space: The Most Iconic Spacewalk Photographs Ever Taken
102 views · 0 votes
Top 10 Dutch Innovations That Changed the World
102 views · 0 votes
Top 10 Scariest AI Predictions by Experts
102 views · 0 votes
Top 10 Best Marine Biology Discoveries
104 views · 0 votes
Top 10 Most Debated: Can AI Be Conscious?
104 views · 0 votes
You might also like
SCIENCESame type
Top 10 Best Vaccine Breakthroughs in History
10 items
SCIENCESame type
Top 10 Best Neuroscience Breakthroughs
10 items
SCIENCESame type
Top 10 Best Chemistry Breakthroughs
10 items
SCIENCESame type
Top 10 Best Scientific Instruments Ever Built
10 items
SCIENCESame type
Top 10 Best Physics Experiments in History
10 items
SCIENCESame type
Top 10 Debunked Science Myths People Still Believe
10 items