John L. Mather

John L. Mather is an American astrophysicist renowned for his work in cosmology and astrophysics, particularly in studying the origins and evolution of the universe. He contributed to our understanding of cosmic microwave background radiation—the faint afterglow of the Big Bang—by helping design key NASA missions like COBE, which provided critical evidence supporting the Big Bang theory. Mather’s research has greatly advanced our knowledge of how the universe started, expanded, and evolved. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2006 for these discoveries, highlighting his significant impact on modern cosmology.