ABSTRACT
At the turn of the millenium, Time/Life published lists of the 100 most eminent people and 100 most influential events during the previous 1,000 years. The eminent people included inventor Thomas Edison who lighted the world; scientists Galileo, Newton, Darwin, Einstein, Madame Curie, and Freud who changed our conceptions of the universe and our place in it; writers like Shakespeare and Dante who entertained us and stimulated our imagination; and artists and musicians such as Michaelangelo, Picasso, and Beethoven who gave us beauty that continues to leave us speechless. The achievers’ list also includes Roger Bannister, who for the first time in human history ran the mile in under 4 min. It did not change our lives but it did forever lift what was long thought to be a ceiling on human performance in athleticism. The influential achievements included Gutenberg’s invention of the printing press and other notable events that broadened our horizons and enriched our lives in countless ways.
