PHYSICIST
John Archibald Wheeler
1911 - 2008

John Archibald Wheeler
John Archibald Wheeler (July 9, 1911 – April 13, 2008) was an American theoretical physicist. He was largely responsible for reviving interest in general relativity in the United States after World War II. Wheeler also worked with Niels Bohr to explain the basic principles of nuclear fission. Together with Gregory Breit, Wheeler developed the concept of the Breit–Wheeler process. He is best known for popularizing the term "black hole" for objects with gravitational collapse already predicted during the early 20th century, for inventing the terms "quantum foam", "neutron moderator", "wormhole" and "it from bit", and for hypothesizing the "one-electron universe". Read more on Wikipedia
His biography is available in different languages on Wikipedia. John Archibald Wheeler is the 255th most popular physicist (down from 246th in 2019), the 1,094th most popular biography from United States (down from 978th in 2019) and the 56th most popular American Physicist.
John Archibald Wheeler is most famous for his contributions to the field of quantum physics. He is credited with coining the term "black hole" and was a proponent of the many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics.
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Among PHYSICISTS
Among physicists, John Archibald Wheeler ranks 255 out of 851. Before him are Kenneth G. Wilson, C. P. Snow, Jim Peebles, Benjamin Thompson, Leon M. Lederman, and John L. Hall. After him are Igor Kurchatov, Pierre-Gilles de Gennes, Abdus Salam, Chien-Shiung Wu, Serge Haroche, and Julian Schwinger.
Most Popular Physicists in Wikipedia
Go to all RankingsKenneth G. Wilson
1936 - 2013
HPI: 69.74
Rank: 249
C. P. Snow
1905 - 1980
HPI: 69.73
Rank: 250
Jim Peebles
1935 - Present
HPI: 69.72
Rank: 251
Benjamin Thompson
1753 - 1814
HPI: 69.72
Rank: 252
Leon M. Lederman
1922 - 2018
HPI: 69.68
Rank: 253
John L. Hall
1934 - Present
HPI: 69.65
Rank: 254
John Archibald Wheeler
1911 - 2008
HPI: 69.63
Rank: 255
Igor Kurchatov
1903 - 1960
HPI: 69.59
Rank: 256
Pierre-Gilles de Gennes
1932 - 2007
HPI: 69.57
Rank: 257
Abdus Salam
1926 - 1996
HPI: 69.53
Rank: 258
Chien-Shiung Wu
1912 - 1997
HPI: 69.53
Rank: 259
Serge Haroche
1944 - Present
HPI: 69.50
Rank: 260
Julian Schwinger
1918 - 1994
HPI: 69.40
Rank: 261
Contemporaries
Among people born in 1911, John Archibald Wheeler ranks 46. Before him are Lê Đức Thọ, Richard Baer, Jules Dassin, Lee Yoo-hyung, Jean Harlow, and Joseph Barbera. After him are L. Ron Hubbard, Ginger Rogers, Samuel Reshevsky, Akira Yoshizawa, Bernard Katz, and Ernesto Sabato. Among people deceased in 2008, John Archibald Wheeler ranks 38. Before him are Mel Ferrer, Gary Gygax, Jean-Marie Balestre, Jacques Piccard, Heath Ledger, and Lansana Conté. After him are George Habash, Jörg Haider, Janez Drnovšek, Michael Crichton, George Emil Palade, and Giuseppe Di Stefano.
Others Born in 1911
Go to all RankingsLê Đức Thọ
SOCIAL ACTIVIST
1911 - 1990
HPI: 70.55
Rank: 40
Richard Baer
POLITICIAN
1911 - 1963
HPI: 70.41
Rank: 41
Jules Dassin
FILM DIRECTOR
1911 - 2008
HPI: 70.17
Rank: 42
Lee Yoo-hyung
SOCCER PLAYER
1911 - 2003
HPI: 70.16
Rank: 43
Jean Harlow
ACTOR
1911 - 1937
HPI: 70.12
Rank: 44
Joseph Barbera
COMIC ARTIST
1911 - 2006
HPI: 70.11
Rank: 45
John Archibald Wheeler
PHYSICIST
1911 - 2008
HPI: 69.63
Rank: 46
L. Ron Hubbard
WRITER
1911 - 1986
HPI: 69.26
Rank: 47
Ginger Rogers
ACTOR
1911 - 1995
HPI: 69.23
Rank: 48
Samuel Reshevsky
CHESS PLAYER
1911 - 1992
HPI: 68.66
Rank: 49
Akira Yoshizawa
ARTIST
1911 - 2005
HPI: 68.65
Rank: 50
Bernard Katz
BIOLOGIST
1911 - 2003
HPI: 68.57
Rank: 51
Ernesto Sabato
WRITER
1911 - 2011
HPI: 68.46
Rank: 52
Others Deceased in 2008
Go to all RankingsMel Ferrer
ACTOR
1917 - 2008
HPI: 70.14
Rank: 32
Gary Gygax
GAME DESIGNER
1938 - 2008
HPI: 70.11
Rank: 33
Jean-Marie Balestre
JOURNALIST
1921 - 2008
HPI: 70.00
Rank: 34
Jacques Piccard
INVENTOR
1922 - 2008
HPI: 69.96
Rank: 35
Heath Ledger
ACTOR
1979 - 2008
HPI: 69.95
Rank: 36
Lansana Conté
POLITICIAN
1934 - 2008
HPI: 69.70
Rank: 37
John Archibald Wheeler
PHYSICIST
1911 - 2008
HPI: 69.63
Rank: 38
George Habash
EXTREMIST
1926 - 2008
HPI: 69.27
Rank: 39
Jörg Haider
POLITICIAN
1950 - 2008
HPI: 69.25
Rank: 40
Janez Drnovšek
POLITICIAN
1950 - 2008
HPI: 69.22
Rank: 41
Michael Crichton
WRITER
1942 - 2008
HPI: 69.14
Rank: 42
George Emil Palade
PHYSICIAN
1912 - 2008
HPI: 68.99
Rank: 43
Giuseppe Di Stefano
SINGER
1921 - 2008
HPI: 68.71
Rank: 44
In United States
Among people born in United States, John Archibald Wheeler ranks 1,094 out of 20,380. Before him are Carroll Shelby (1923), Richard Crenna (1926), Shelley Duvall (1949), John L. Hall (1934), James Comey (1960), and Jimmy Connors (1952). After him are Gene Wilder (1933), Lee Radziwill (1933), Kris Kristofferson (1936), Chris Gardner (1954), George Whipple (1878), and Timothy McVeigh (1968).
Others born in United States
Go to all RankingsCarroll Shelby
RACING DRIVER
1923 - 2012
HPI: 69.66
Rank: 1,088
Richard Crenna
ACTOR
1926 - 2003
HPI: 69.65
Rank: 1,089
Shelley Duvall
ACTOR
1949 - 2024
HPI: 69.65
Rank: 1,090
John L. Hall
PHYSICIST
1934 - Present
HPI: 69.65
Rank: 1,091
James Comey
POLITICIAN
1960 - Present
HPI: 69.63
Rank: 1,092
Jimmy Connors
TENNIS PLAYER
1952 - Present
HPI: 69.63
Rank: 1,093
John Archibald Wheeler
PHYSICIST
1911 - 2008
HPI: 69.63
Rank: 1,094
Gene Wilder
ACTOR
1933 - 2016
HPI: 69.62
Rank: 1,095
Lee Radziwill
SOCIAL ACTIVIST
1933 - 2019
HPI: 69.62
Rank: 1,096
Kris Kristofferson
SINGER
1936 - 2024
HPI: 69.62
Rank: 1,097
Chris Gardner
BUSINESSPERSON
1954 - Present
HPI: 69.60
Rank: 1,098
George Whipple
PHYSICIAN
1878 - 1976
HPI: 69.60
Rank: 1,099
Timothy McVeigh
EXTREMIST
1968 - 2001
HPI: 69.60
Rank: 1,100
Among PHYSICISTS In United States
Among physicists born in United States, John Archibald Wheeler ranks 56. Before him are Arthur Ashkin (1922), David Bohm (1992), Kenneth G. Wilson (1936), Benjamin Thompson (1753), Leon M. Lederman (1922), and John L. Hall (1934). After him are Julian Schwinger (1918), John Hasbrouck Van Vleck (1899), David J. Wineland (1944), John C. Mather (1946), John Robert Schrieffer (1931), and David Gross (1941).
Arthur Ashkin
1922 - 2020
HPI: 70.17
Rank: 50
David Bohm
1992 - 1992
HPI: 69.83
Rank: 51
Kenneth G. Wilson
1936 - 2013
HPI: 69.74
Rank: 52
Benjamin Thompson
1753 - 1814
HPI: 69.72
Rank: 53
Leon M. Lederman
1922 - 2018
HPI: 69.68
Rank: 54
John L. Hall
1934 - Present
HPI: 69.65
Rank: 55
John Archibald Wheeler
1911 - 2008
HPI: 69.63
Rank: 56
Julian Schwinger
1918 - 1994
HPI: 69.40
Rank: 57
John Hasbrouck Van Vleck
1899 - 1980
HPI: 69.29
Rank: 58
David J. Wineland
1944 - Present
HPI: 68.96
Rank: 59
John C. Mather
1946 - Present
HPI: 68.88
Rank: 60
John Robert Schrieffer
1931 - 2019
HPI: 68.66
Rank: 61
David Gross
1941 - Present
HPI: 68.57
Rank: 62