Best 21ST Century
Malala Yousafzai continues to be a pivotal figure in global education advocacy. Through the Malala Fund, she champions girls' right to education, particularly in conflict zones. Her unwavering commitment and powerful voice have galvanized international support for educational initiatives. She activ...
James is a 2024 novel by American author Percival Everett that retells Mark Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from the perspective of the enslaved character Jim. The narrative provides an alternate view of the 1884 classic, exploring themes of language, literacy, and survival in the antebellum...
Why this score?
Pulitzer-winning retelling with exceptional critical acclaim, strong reader ratings, sharp voice, historical insight, and a transformative treatment of Jim.
Scoring methodology
The Harvey Weinstein scandal involved allegations of widespread sexual misconduct by the Hollywood producer spanning several decades. These accusations ignited the #MeToo movement, bringing to light systemic issues of power dynamics and abuse within the film industry and beyond. The case prompted si...
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay is a 2000 novel by Michael Chabon about Josef Kavalier, a Jewish refugee from Prague, and his American cousin Sammy Clay. Set largely in New York during the Golden Age of comic books, it follows their collaboration as writers and artists while exploring esca...
Why this score?
Pulitzer-winning modern classic with broad critical and reader acclaim for characterization, historical sweep, emotional power, and richly researched storytelling.
Scoring methodology
Bring Up the Bodies is a historical novel by British author Hilary Mantel, published in 2012 as the second book in her acclaimed Wolf Hall trilogy. The novel continues the story of Thomas Cromwell, chief minister to King Henry VIII, focusing on the period leading to the execution of Anne Boleyn in 1...
Why this score?
Booker-winning historical fiction with exceptional critical acclaim, psychological precision, controlled prose, and dramatic tension; dependence on prior context is the main reservation.
Scoring methodology
The Hayabusa asteroid samples consist of microscopic dust grains collected from the surface of near-Earth asteroid 25143 Itokawa by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). The Hayabusa spacecraft returned these samples to Earth in June 2010, marking the first successful asteroid sample return...
Why this score?
First asteroid samples returned to Earth, representing a landmark engineering achievement and major planetary-science resource despite their microscopic scale.
Scoring methodology
Susan Brantley is an American geologist and geochemist whose research focuses on chemical weathering, mineral reactions, and the exchange of materials between rocks and water. Her work examines how these reactions alter landscapes, regulate elements in soils and rivers, and affect the movement of ca...
Why this score?
Pioneering weathering research, major honors, high citation impact, and sustained leadership in critical zone science.
Scoring methodology
Margaret G. Kivelson is an American space physicist whose research concerns magnetospheric plasmas, planetary magnetic fields, and low-frequency waves. Analysis of magnetic measurements from NASA's Galileo spacecraft provided evidence for an electrically conducting subsurface ocean at Jupiter's moon...
Why this score?
Transformative planetary magnetosphere research, Europa ocean evidence, major honors, and exceptionally strong space science reputation.
Scoring methodology
The National September 11 Memorial, located at the World Trade Center site in Lower Manhattan, was dedicated on September 11, 2011, the tenth anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attacks. Designed by architect Michael Arad and landscape architect Peter Walker, the memorial features two reflecting pools...
Why this score?
Exceptional visitor ratings, profound commemorative power, and acclaimed void-and-water design; some criticism concerns commercialization and surrounding security.
Scoring methodology
True History of the Kelly Gang is a 2000 novel by Australian writer Peter Carey that won the 2001 Booker Prize. It presents a fictionalized account of outlaw Ned Kelly through a rough, vernacular first-person voice that imitates the rhythm of his supposed autobiography. The book combines historical...
Why this score?
Booker-winning modern classic acclaimed for vernacular voice, historical revision, emotional intensity, and formal control; punctuation and violence challenge some readers.
Scoring methodology
"Half-light: Collected Poems 1965-2016" is a comprehensive anthology of American poet Frank Bidart's work, published in 2017 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux. The collection compiles poems from over five decades of Bidart's career, known for its dramatic monologues and exploration of psychological and m...
Why this score?
Definitive Frank Bidart collected poems, Pulitzer and National Book Award winner, strong consensus on major late-career achievement.
Scoring methodology
Bernard J. Wood is a British geochemist and experimental petrologist associated with the study of minerals and materials under the high pressures and temperatures found inside planets. His research combines laboratory experiments, mineral analysis, and theory to investigate mantle composition, miner...
Why this score?
Leading experimental petrology, foundational mantle thermodynamics and core formation studies, major honors, and broad citation influence.
Scoring methodology
Coupling is a BBC sitcom set in contemporary London. It chronicles the lives of six adults grappling with romantic relationships and everyday social interactions. The show’s notable approach involves interwoven storylines presented through the characters' conversations, offering diverse viewpoints o...
John Jumper is an American computational scientist and chemist at Google DeepMind who served as the lead researcher for the development of AlphaFold2. This artificial intelligence system achieved a major breakthrough in biology by accurately predicting three-dimensional protein structures from their...
Why this score?
AlphaFold2 solved a landmark protein-structure problem; 2024 Nobel recognition and extraordinary cross-field impact.
Scoring methodology
Katalin Karikó is a biochemist whose pioneering research on modified messenger RNA (mRNA) revolutionized biotechnology. Her work unlocked the potential of mRNA for therapeutic applications and was critical to the rapid development of COVID-19 vaccines. Primarily benefiting medical researchers and ph...
James W. Head is an American planetary geologist and professor emeritus at Brown University whose research examines planetary evolution, volcanism, and tectonism. Earlier, at Bellcomm, he worked on NASA's Apollo program by helping evaluate lunar landing sites, train astronauts in field geology, and...
Why this score?
Major planetary mapping legacy, Apollo training contributions, extensive lunar research, and sustained leadership in comparative planetology.
Scoring methodology
How We Became Human: New and Selected Poems 1975–2001 is a poetry collection by American author Joy Harjo, published in 2002. Harjo, a member of the Mvskoke (Creek) Nation, draws on Indigenous history, oral tradition, and personal narrative in her work. The volume compiles poems from her earlier col...
Why this score?
This retrospective confirms Harjo's major stature through consistently powerful work on ancestry, violence, survival, spirituality, and Indigenous identity.
Scoring methodology
John Williams is the most famous and successful film composer of all time, responsible for iconic scores like 'Star Wars,' 'Jaws,' 'Indiana Jones,' and 'Harry Potter.' A master of the late-Romantic orchestral idiom, he writes memorable, thematic music that powerfully drives narrative and emotion. Hi...
Why this score?
John Williams scores 9.5/10 due to his unparalleled ability to create emotionally resonant and memorable film scores, spanning decades of success. However, his work is limited to the film score genre, which may be a limitation for some.
Scoring methodology
Gardens by the Bay is a large nature park spanning 101 hectares of reclaimed land in the Marina Bay area of Singapore. Inaugurated in 2012, the park is distinguished by its vertical gardens known as Supertrees, which are equipped with solar panels to generate electricity, and its two massive cooled...
Why this score?
Exceptional horticultural design, ambitious conservatories, polished presentation, and broad popularity; admission costs and artificiality draw occasional criticism.
Scoring methodology
This film set the modern standard for the genre. It follows a group of master thieves executing a flawless, stylish robbery at a high-stakes casino. The synergy between the star-studded cast is legendary, making every interaction feel both effortless and highly calculated. It balances genuine suspen...
Satoshi Nakamoto conceived of Bitcoin, a decentralized digital currency. This individual, operating under a pseudonym, developed the underlying blockchain technology and cryptographic protocols that enable peer-to-peer transactions without intermediaries. The white paper detailing Bitcoin’s design w...
Conflict Resolution for Holy Beings is a 2015 poetry collection by Joy Harjo, a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and the United States Poet Laureate. The collection combines themes of indigenous history, spirituality, and contemporary Native American life. Through her verse, Harjo addresses the...
Why this score?
Joy Harjo's collection received major acclaim for spiritual authority, Indigenous perspective, musical language, and cohesive engagement with history and survival.
Scoring methodology
Erasure is a 2001 satirical novel by American author Percival Everett. The narrative follows Thelonious "Monk" Ellison, an academic novelist frustrated by the publishing industry's appetite for stereotyped portrayals of African American life, whose satirical parody of such fiction is taken at face v...
Why this score?
Widely acclaimed satire praised for intellectual precision, comic force, and critique of publishing stereotypes; its metafictional apparatus occasionally feels schematic.
Scoring methodology
Ferdinand Piëch (1937-2019) was an Austrian engineer and automotive executive who began his career at Porsche before joining Audi in 1972. At Porsche, he led the engineering program associated with the 917 racing car, which won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1970. At Audi, he held senior technical and e...
Why this score?
Exceptional vehicle engineer behind the 917, Quattro, and ambitious Volkswagen platforms; acclaim tempered by costly complexity and authoritarian management.
Scoring methodology
David R. Montgomery is an American geomorphologist whose research examines how erosion, soil formation, agriculture, and landscape change affect ecosystems and human societies. He is a professor at the University of Washington and received a MacArthur Fellowship in 2008. His books and research expla...
Why this score?
MacArthur recognition, influential geomorphology and soil research, acclaimed public scholarship, and strong citation impact.
Scoring methodology
*An American Sunrise* is a 2019 poetry collection by Joy Harjo, a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and the United States Poet Laureate. Through a mix of poetry and prose, the collection reflects on the history of her Indigenous ancestors and their forced removal from their ancestral homelands i...
Why this score?
Harjo's widely praised collection combines personal memory, Indigenous history, and national critique with accessibility, lyric force, and moral clarity.
Scoring methodology
Angels’ Atlas is a physically demanding contemporary ballet exploring the profound and isolating experience of chronic pain through the intertwined narratives of a dancer and his enigmatic guardian angel. The work features intricate partnering sequences and stark visual contrasts highlighting the st...
Akram Khan’s *Giselle* reimagines the classic tale of a peasant girl’s demise and resurrection. The production explores themes of love, loss, and societal oppression through a blend of traditional ballet technique and contemporary movement vocabulary. It is notable for its powerful storytelling and...
Cloud Gate, commonly referred to as "The Bean," is a large public sculpture created by Indian-born British artist Anish Kapoor. Located in the AT&T Plaza of Millennium Park in Chicago, Illinois, the artwork consists of 168 stainless steel plates welded together and polished to a seamless mirror fini...
Why this score?
Widely beloved, critically recognized contemporary sculpture with ingenious reflections and exceptional public engagement; ubiquity and tourist congestion invite mild backlash.
Scoring methodology
*Tyll* is a 2017 historical novel by Austrian-German author Daniel Kehlmann that reimagines the medieval folkloric trickster Till Eulenspiegel. Set against the devastation of the Thirty Years' War, the narrative follows the anarchic jester as he navigates a fractured European society alongside histo...
Why this score?
Major prize-winning historical novel acclaimed for linguistic vitality, political resonance, and a compelling trickster protagonist; length and episodic density demand commitment.
Scoring methodology
