#1
In 1963 his oldest daughter caught the mumps. He cultured a sample from her, developed a vaccine, and injected it into his younger daughter.
That vaccine is still in use and has saved millions of lives.
In total, it's estimated that his work has saved 118 million lives globally.
#2
The disease causes too much pressure in the blood vessels leading from the heart to the lungs, causing them to narrow and not carry enough oxygen.
So Rothblatt quit all of her other work and went to the library to save her daughter. Even though she had zero background in the field, she figured out a cure and in the process founded United Therapeutics which is a billion dollar biotechnology company.
Rothblatt's life story is amazing.
#3
Three years later, Strowger patented the automatic teller exchange, a system which allowed telephone users to make calls without the need for human operators, singlehandedly destroying an entire workforce.
As you scroll through this interesting list, don’t be surprised if you find yourself pausing during many stories to say, “Wait... what?!” Some of these instances are downright jaw-dropping. They will make you wonder how one person had the guts, or the stubbornness, to pull off something that big.
Then there are also those stories where you might think that there's no way this could have happened, but trust me, it's all real. For instance, remember George Clooney, the charming guy from Ocean’s Eleven? Well, turns out he literally launched a satellite into space to spy on military movements in Sudan. Not for a film or something, but to expose real-life human rights violations. Sounds pretty wild, doesn't it?
#4
He then calculated how to take a colour photograph in 1855. This was then achieved in 1861 and is recognized as the first ever colour photograph.
#5
Edit: corrected the location.
#6
wow, this got some attention, so editing to add that I dug up my old research: a translation of what she said, originally in Yiddish, was "I have listened to all the speeches and I have no further patience for talk. I, too, have worked and suffered, and I am tired of talk. I move that we go on general strike. Now!".
One other intriguing incident involves Alexander the Great and the famous Gordian Knot. Ages ago, he was out conquering almost everything in sight when he came into this city called Gordium. There, he was told about this ancient prophecy surrounding a super complicated knot tied to an old wooden cart. Legend had it that whoever could untangle the knot would become the ruler of all Asia.
Now, this knot was ridiculously complex, with no visible ends, all twisted and looped in on itself. Most people would've spent hours tugging, twisting, or just walking away in frustration, but not Alexander. He looked at it for a minute, probably thought something like, "enough is enough", pulled out his sword, and sliced the thing in half!
However, the more interesting part is that this gave birth to the phrase “cutting the Gordian Knot”. These days, it means solving a messy, complicated problem with a bold, no-nonsense move. All thanks to a guy who decided he didn’t need to play by the rules of the puzzle to win. Well, I guess, sometimes, swinging the sword is just faster, right?
#7
Edit: Thanks to u/TDS755 and u/KINGChameleon07 for correcting me.
#8
If saying "F**k it, I'm ruling Russia myself" isn't great, I dunno what is. I mean, it's right there next to her name for a reason.
#9
So he decides to build a boat using only the tools and materials available at the time these migrations took place. And then he sailed that boat across the Pacific Ocean, nearly dying in the process, but ultimately making it to the Polynesian islands.
Speaking of bold moves and people who just took charge of their own destiny, one of my personal favorites has to be Catherine the Great of Russia. While her husband, a terrible king, was off playing war games or something, Catherine secretly rallied the military, got some key nobles on her side, and staged a coup. She just rolled up, took over the throne, and had her husband arrested.
The best part, though? She ruled as Empress of Russia for over three decades, expanded the empire, modernized it, and became one of the most powerful women in history. Now that is something that deserves a standing ovation!
#10
#11
Bought his own spy satellite to prove the alleged crimes of an African warlords because nobody else would.
#12
While some of these stories might leave you wide-eyed, there's no denying that every single person on this list is an absolute genius in their own right. In the end, it takes serious willpower and, of course, a healthy dose of guts, to go against everything and take bold action when no one else will.
These are the kinds of people who don’t sit around waiting for permission. They see a problem or a challenge and take charge, and boom, history gets made. That’s the kind of mindset that shapes the world. Whether it’s finding a new religion, pulling off a coup, inventing something game-changing, or just refusing to accept “no” for an answer, these people simply refused to go with the flow.
#13
There is a bollywood movie on him too(title:Maanjhi: The mountain man).
#14
#15
Well, dear readers, that's it from our end for now, as we leave you to scroll through the list at your leisure. Who knows? Maybe one of the legendary folks in the list might even inspire you to take action and do something completely out of the box! Also, don't forget to spare a few upvotes for the ones that fascinated you, and if our list has missed a few, do share them in the comments.
#16
Nobody was convinced it was safe so he hoisted himself up extremely high and had somebody cut the cable with an axe to prove how confident he was that the elevator was safe regardless of almost worst case scenarios.
#17
Edit: Here is his tweet from 2009 the day he interviewed. I'm getting this framed for my desk at work.
#18
#19
Edit: I'm aware there is a movie. I've read about him before and I know he's done more than just what is in the movie. I just didn't want to make a 3000 word post about the many ways this guy is amazing.
#20
