Edward Norton Lorenz

Edward Norton Lorenz was an influential American mathematician and meteorologist known for his pioneering work in chaos theory and weather prediction. He discovered that small changes in initial weather conditions can lead to vastly different outcomes, a phenomenon often illustrated by the "butterfly effect." This insight showed that weather systems are highly sensitive and complex, challenging the predictability of long-term forecasts. Lorenz's work laid the foundation for modern chaos theory, demonstrating that even deterministic systems can behave unpredictably, profoundly impacting atmospheric physics and our understanding of climate dynamics.