Fritz Zwicky

Fritz Zwicky, born on February 14, 1898, was a pioneering Swiss astronomer and physicist whose remarkable career was largely spent at the California Institute of Technology in the United States. His innovative contributions to both theoretical and observational astronomy have left an indelible mark on the field.

Among his many groundbreaking ideas, Zwicky was the first to propose that supernovas are colossal explosions marking the end of a star's life cycle. He also introduced the concept of neutron stars as the remnants that remain after these spectacular events, fundamentally altering our understanding of stellar evolution.

In 1933, Zwicky made another significant leap in astrophysics by utilizing the virial theorem to hypothesize the existence of dark matter, which he referred to as 'dunkle Materie.' This concept has since become a cornerstone of modern cosmology, influencing countless studies and theories about the universe.