This is a list of people who have made noteworthy contributions tocosmology (the study of the history andlarge-scale structure of the universe) and their cosmological achievements.

Part of a series on
Physical cosmology
Big Bang ·Universe Age of the universe Chronology of the universe
Early universe Inflation ·Nucleosynthesis Backgrounds Gravitational wave (GWB) Microwave (CMB) ·Neutrino (CNB)
Expansion · Future Hubble's law ·Redshift Expansion of the universe FLRW metric ·Friedmann equations Lambda-CDM model Future of an expanding universe Ultimate fate of the universe
Components · Structure Components Dark energy ·Dark matter Photons ·Baryons Structure Shape of the universe Galaxy filament ·Galaxy formation Large quasar group Large-scale structure Reionization ·Structure formation
Experiments Black Hole Initiative (BHI) BOOMERanG Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE) Dark Energy Survey Planck space observatory Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) 2dF Galaxy Redshift Survey ("2dF") Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP)
Scientists Aaronson Alfvén Alpher Copernicus de Sitter Dicke Ehlers Einstein Ellis Friedmann Galileo Gamow Guth Hawking Hubble Huygens Kepler Lemaître Mather Newton Penrose Penzias Rubin Schmidt Smoot Suntzeff Sunyaev Tolman Wilson Zeldovich List of cosmologists
Subject history Discovery of cosmic microwave background radiation History of the Big Bang theory Timeline of cosmological theories
Category Astronomy portal
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• Tom Abel (1970–) studied primordialstar formation
• Roberto Abraham (1965–) studied the shapes ofearly galaxies
• Andreas Albrecht studied the formation of theearly universe, cosmic structure, anddark energy
• Hannes Alfvén (1908–1995) theorized thatgalactic magnetic fields could be generated by plasma currents
• Ralph A. Alpher (1921–2007) argued that observed proportions ofhydrogen andhelium in the universe could be explained by thebig bang model, predictedcosmic background radiation
• Aristarchus of Samos (310–230 BC) early proponent ofheliocentrism
• Aristotle (circa 384–322 BC) posited ageocentric cosmology that was widely accepted for many centuries
• Aryabhata (476–550) described ageocentric model with slow and fastepicycles

• Ja'far ibn Muhammad Abu Ma'shar al-Balkhi (787–886) conveyed Aristotle's theories from Persia to Europe
• James M. Bardeen (1939–2022) studied the mathematics ofblack holes and ofvacua undergeneral relativity
• John D. Barrow (1952–2020) popularized theanthropic cosmological principle
• Charles L. Bennett (1956–) studied the large-scale structure of the universe by mapping irregularities inmicrowave background radiation
• Orfeu Bertolami (1959–) studied thecosmological constant,cosmic inflation, dark energy–dark matter unification and interaction, alternative gravity theories
• Somnath Bharadwaj (1964–) studied large-scale structure formation
• James Binney (1950–) studied galactic dynamics andsupernova disruption of galactic gasses
• Martin Bojowald (1973–) studiedloop quantum gravity and establishedloop quantum cosmology
• Hermann Bondi (1919–2005) developed thesteady-state model
• Mustapha Ishak Boushaki (1967–) physicist researcher on cosmology
• Tycho Brahe (1546–1601) promoted ageo-heliocentric system of epicycles
• Robert Brandenberger (1956–) formulated the theory of string gas cosmology, with colleagueCumrun Vafa, and developedcosmological perturbation theory

• Bernard J. Carr (1949–) promoted the anthropic principle, studiedprimordial black holes
• Sean M. Carroll (1966–) researched dark energy, general relativity, and spontaneous cosmic inflation
• Gennady V. Chibisov (1946–2008) origin of cosmological density perturbations fromquantum fluctuations
• Peter Coles (1963–) modeled galactic clustering and authored several cosmology books
• C. B. Collins used the anthropic principle to solve theflatness problem
• Asantha Cooray (1973–) studied dark energy, halo models of large structure, and cosmic microwave radiation
• Nicolaus Copernicus (1473–1543) formulated a heliocentric cosmology

• Paul Davies (1946–) developed a vacuum model that explains microwave background fluctuation, studiestime's arrow, and has written many popular-press books
• Marc Davis (1947–) was lead astronomer of a survey of 50,000 high-redshift galaxies
• Avishai Dekel (1951–) studiedgalaxy formation andlarge scale structure of the cosmos in dark matter-dark energy dominated universes
• Robert H. Dicke (1916–1997) measured background radiation, used an early version of the anthropic principle to relate thegravitational constant to theage of the universe
• Mike J. Disney (1937–) discoveredlow surface brightness galaxies

• George Efstathiou (1955–) pioneeringcomputer simulations, observations of galaxy clustering and studies of the fluctuations in the cosmic microwave background
• Jürgen Ehlers (1929–2008) describedgravitational lensing and studied the mathematical implications of anisotropic microwave background
• Jaan Einasto (1929–) studied structure in the large-scale distribution ofsuperclusters of galaxies, early proponent of dark matter
• Albert Einstein (1879–1955) introduced general relativity and the cosmological constant
• George F. R. Ellis (1939–) theorized a cylindrical steady-state universe with anaked singularity as recycling mechanism
• Richard S. Ellis (1950–) used gravitational lensing and high-redshift supernovae to study the origin of galaxies, large scale structure, and dark matter

• Sandra M. Faber (1944–) discovered theGreat Attractor, a supercluster-scale gravitational anomaly; co-inventor of the theory ofcold dark matter
• Hume A. Feldman (1953–) studies cosmological perturbations and the statistical and dynamical properties of the large scale structure of the universe
• Pedro G. Ferreira (1968–) his main interests are in general relativity andtheoretical cosmology
• Carlos S. Frenk (1951–) studied cosmic structure formation
• Alexander Friedmann (1888–1925) discovered the expanding-universe solution to general relativity

• George Gamow (1904–1968) argued that observed proportions of hydrogen and helium in the universe could be explained by the big bang model, modeled the mass and radius of primordial galaxies
• Margaret J. Geller (1947–) discovered theGreat Wall, a superstructure-scale filament of galaxies
• Thomas Gold (1920–2004) proposed the steady-state theory
• Gerson Goldhaber (1924–2010) used supernova observations to measure theenergy density of the universe
• J. Richard Gott (1947–) proposed the use ofcosmic strings fortime travel
• Alan Guth (1947–) explained the isotropy of the universe by theorizing a phase of exponential cosmic inflation soon after the big bang

• Stephen W. Hawking (1942–2018) described singularities in general relativity and developed singularity-free models of the big bang; predicted primordial black holes
• Charles W. Hellaby described models of general relativity with nonconstantmetric signature
• Michał Heller (1936–) researchednoncommutative approaches toquantum gravity
• Robert C. Herman (1914–1997) predicted the background radiation temperature
• Lars Hernquist (1954–) studied galaxy formation and evolution
• Chris Hirata (1982–) researchedweak gravitational lensing
• Honorius Augustodunensis (c.1080−1151) wrote a popular encyclopedia of cosmology, geography, and world history
• Hanns Hörbiger (1860–1931) formulated a pseudoscientific theory of ice as the basic substance of all cosmic processes
• Fred Hoyle (1915–2001) promoted the steady state theory, used the anthropic principle to explain the energy levels of carbon nuclei
• Edwin P. Hubble (1889–1953) demonstrated the existence of other galaxies and confirmed the relation between redshift and distance
• John P. Huchra (1948–2010) discovered the Great Wall, a superstructure-scale filament of galaxies

• Mustapha Ishak Boushaki (1967–) physicist researcher on Cosmology
• Jamal Nazrul Islam (1939–2013) published seven books on Cosmology

• Ronald Kantowski (1939–) discovered spatially homogeneous but anisotropic solutions to general relativity
• Johannes Kepler (1571–1630) pioneered heliocentrism, discovered elliptical planetary motion, attempted to explain heavenly motions through physical causes
• Isaak Markovich Khalatnikov (1919–2021) conjectured anoscillatory model with anessential singularity for the evolution of the universe
• Tom W. B. Kibble (1932–2016) introduced the concept of cosmic strings
• Robert Kirshner (1949–) discovered theBoötes void, a large region sparsely populated with galaxies, and wrote a popular book on cosmology
• Edward Kolb (1951–) studied big bang cosmology including the emergence ofbaryons and dark matter, and wrote a popular textbook on cosmology
• Lawrence M. Krauss (1954–) author of popular science books on cosmology includingA Universe from Nothing

• Ofer Lahav (1959–) studied dark matter and dark energy
• Tod R. Lauer (1957–) catalogued massive black holes at galaxy centers and correlated their mass with other properties of the galaxies' structures
• Georges Henri Lemaître (1894–1966) proposed the big bang theory and the distance-redshift relation
• Janna Levin (1967–) seeks evidence for a bounded universe of nontrivial topology
• Andrew R. Liddle (1965–) studied inflationary models, wrote two books on inflation and primordial inhomogeneities
• Evgeny M. Lifshitz (1915–1985) conjectured an oscillatory model with an essential singularity for the evolution of the universe
• Andrei Linde (1948–) pioneered cosmic inflationary models and proposed eternal chaotic inflation of universes from thefalse vacuum
• Abraham (Avi) Loeb (1962–) researched primordial stars, primordial black holes,quasars,reionization, gravitational lensing, andgamma-ray bursts
• Jean-Pierre Luminet (1951–) studied black holes and thetopology of the Universe
• David H. Lyth (1940–) studiedparticle cosmology, wrote two books on cosmic inflation and primordial inhomogeneities

• João Magueijo (1967–) proposed much faster speeds of light in the young universe as an alternative explanation to cosmic inflation for its homogeneity
• Richard Massey (1977–) mapped dark matter in the universe
• Charles W. Misner (1932–2023) studied solutions to general relativity including themixmaster universe andMisner space, wrote influential text on gravitation
• John Moffat (1932–) proposed much faster speeds of light in the young universe, developed antisymmetric theories of gravity
• Lauro Moscardini (1961–) modeled galaxy clustering in the early universe

• Jayant Narlikar (1938–) promoted steady state theories
• Isaac Newton (1642–1727) formulated thelaw of universal gravitation and supported the heliocentric model

• György Paál (1934–1992) in the late 1950s studied the quasar and galaxy cluster distributions, in 1970 from redshift quantization came up with the idea that the Universe might have nontrivial topological structure
• Thanu Padmanabhan (1957–2021) studied quantum gravity and quantum cosmology
• Leonard Parker (1938–) established the study of quantum field theory within general relativity
• P. James E. Peebles (1935–) predicted cosmic background radiation, contributed to structure theory, developed models that avoid dark matter
• Roger Penrose (1931–) linked singularities to gravitational collapse, conjectured the nonexistence of naked singularities, and used gravitational entropy to explain homogeneity
• Arno Penzias (1933–2024) was the first to observe the cosmic background radiation
• Saul Perlmutter (1959–) used supernova observations to measure the expansion of the universe
• Mark M. Phillips (1951–) used supernova observations to discover acceleration in the expansion of the universe, calibrated the supernova distance scale
• Joel Primack (1945–) co-invented the theory of cold dark matter
• Ptolemy (90–168) wrote the only surviving ancient text on astronomy, conjectured a model of the universe as a set of nested spheres with epicycles

• Ali Qushji (1403–1474) challenged Aristotelian physics, in particular presenting empirical evidence against a stationary Earth, and may have influenced Copernicus

• Lisa Randall (1962–) contributed toRandall–Sundrum models, which describe the world in terms of awarped geometry higher-dimensional universe
• Martin Rees (1942–) proposed that quasars are powered by black holes, disproved steady state by studying distribution of quasars
• Yoel Rephaeli used the distortion of the cosmic background by high-energy electrons to infer the existence of galaxy clusters
• Adam Riess (1969–) found evidence in supernova data that the expansion of the universe is accelerating and confirming dark energy models
• Wolfgang Rindler (1924–2019) coined the phrase "event horizon",Rindler coordinates, and popularized the use ofspinors (with Roger Penrose)
• Howard P. Robertson (1903–1961) solved the two-body problem in an approximation to general relativity, developed the standard model of general relativity
• Vera Rubin (1928–2016) discovered discrepancies in galactic rotation rates leading to the theory of dark matter

• Rainer K. Sachs (1932–2024) discovered gravitationally induced redshifts in the cosmic background radiation
• Carl Sagan (1934–1996) American astrophysicist, cosmologist and author
• Andrei Sakharov (1921–1989) invented the theory of twins, CPT-symmetric universes
• Allan Sandage (1936–2010) set thecosmological distance scale and accurately estimated the speed ofexpansion of the universe
• Brian P. Schmidt (1967–) used supernova data to measure the acceleration in the expansion of the universe
• David N. Schramm (1945–1997) was an expert on big bang theory and an early proponent of dark matter
• Dennis W. Sciama (1926–1999) studied many aspects of cosmology and supervised many other leading cosmologists
• Irving Segal (1918–1998) created chronometric cosmology with alternative explanation of redshift in spectra of distant sources
• Seleucus of Seleucia (c.190–c.150 BC) used tidal observations to support a heliocentric model
• Roman Ulrich Sexl (1939–1986) developed an ether-based theory ofabsolute simultaneity that is mathematically equivalent to special relativity
• Al-Sijzi (c. 945–1020) invented anastrolabe based on the Earth's rotation
• Joseph Silk (1942–) explained the homogeneity of the early universe usingphoton diffusion damping
• Willem de Sitter (1872–1934) developed a theory of dark matter with Einstein, found an expanding matterless solution to general relativity
• Vesto Slipher (1875–1969) performed the first measurements ofradial velocities for galaxies, providing the empirical basis for the expansion of the universe
• Lee Smolin (1955–) studied quantum gravity, popularized a theory ofcosmological natural selection
• George F. Smoot (1945–) usedCosmic Background Explorer satellite to measure the temperature and anisotropy of the early universe
• David N. Spergel (1961–) used Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe satellite to measure the temperature and anisotropy of the early universe
• Paul Steinhardt (1952–) pioneeredinflationary cosmology, introduced first example ofeternal inflation, introduced quintessential dark energy, introduced the concept of strongly self-interacting dark matter, studiedbrane cosmology and cyclic models of the universe
• Abd al-Rahman al-Sufi (903–986) wrote theBook of Fixed Stars, which lists over forty constellations and the stars within them
• Nicholas B. Suntzeff (1952–) used supernova observations to discover acceleration in the expansion of the universe, calibrated the supernova distance scale
• Rashid Sunyaev (1943–) developed a theory of density fluctuations in the early universe, described how to use cosmic background distortion to observe large-scale density fluctuations
• Alex Szalay (1949–) was working on structure formation in a neutrino-dominated universe, biased galaxy formation in a cold dark matter dominated universe and computing the power spectrum in hot, cold and warm dark matter dominated universes

• Max Tegmark (1967–) determined the parameters of thelambda-cold dark matter model usingSloan Survey data, studied mathematical models ofmultiverses
• Trinh Xuan Thuan (1948–) researched galaxy formation and evolution
• William G. Tifft theorized that galactic redshifts are quantized
• Beatrice Tinsley (1941–1981) researched galactic evolution, the creation of lightweight elements, and accelerated expansion of the universe
• Frank J. Tipler (1947–) proved that time travel requires singularities, promoted the anthropic principle
• Richard C. Tolman (1881–1948) showed that the cosmic background keeps a black-body profile as the universe expands
• Mark Trodden (1968–) studied cosmological implications of topological defects in field theories
• Michael S. Turner (1949–) coined the termdark energy
• Neil Turok (1958–) predicted correlations between polarization and temperature anisotropy in the cosmic background, explained the big bang as a brane collision
• Henry Tye (1947–) proposed brane-antibrane interactions as a cause of cosmic inflation

• Alexander Vilenkin (1949–) showed that eternal inflation is generic, studied cosmic strings, theorized the creation of the universe from quantum fluctuations

• Robert M. Wald (1947–) wrote a popular textbook on general relativity, studied thethermodynamics of black holes and created an axiomatic formulation of quantum field theory incurved spacetime
• Arthur Geoffrey Walker (1909–2001) developed the standard model of general relativity and studied the mathematics of relativistic reference frames
• David Wands studied inflation, superstrings, and density perturbations in the early universe
• Yun Wang (1964–) uses supernova and galactic redshift data to probe dark energy
• Jeffrey Weeks (1956–) used cosmic background patterns to determine the topology of the universe
• Simon D. White (1951–) studied galaxy formation in the lambda-cold dark matter model
• David Todd Wilkinson (1935–2002) used satellite probes to measure the cosmic background radiation
• Edward L. Wright (1947–) promoted big bang theories, studied the effect of dust absorption on measurements of the cosmic background radiation

• Yakov Borisovich Zel'dovich (1914–1987) used accretion disks of massive black holes to explain quasars, predictedCompton scattering of the cosmic background radiation
• Fritz Zwicky (1898–1974) along withWalter Baade (1893–1960) coined the term "supernova", contributions in understandingneutron stars, supernovae asstandard candles, gravitational lensing, and dark matter.

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