Born on January 17

Gregory XIII was the 226th pope of the Catholic Church, from 1572 to 1585. Trained as a lawyer, he is best known for the calendar reform that bears his name, the Gregorian calendar, introduced in 1582 and still in use today.

An 18th-century American statesman, scientist, and writer, Benjamin Franklin is one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. The inventor of the lightning rod, he contributed to drafting the Declaration of Independence and negotiated the Franco-American alliance.

Alain Badiou, born in 1937, is a French philosopher and one of the major figures of contemporary thought. A critical heir to Marxism and Maoism, he developed a philosophy of the event and of truth grounded in mathematics.

American boxer, three-time world heavyweight champion, considered one of the greatest athletes of the 20th century. A leading figure in the struggle for civil rights, he refused to be drafted for the Vietnam War on the grounds of his convictions.

American computer scientist (1949-2003), pioneer for the inclusion of women in computing. She founded the Institute for Women and Technology and co-founded the Grace Hopper Celebration, a global conference dedicated to women in computing.

Hungarian biochemist and pioneer of messenger RNA technology. Her research, long overlooked, made mRNA vaccines against COVID-19 possible. She received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2023.