Born on February 28

Polish Renaissance astronomer, mathematician, and canon (1473–1543). He revolutionized our understanding of the universe by proposing the heliocentric model, placing the Sun at the center of the solar system rather than the Earth. His major work, De revolutionibus orbium coelestium, published shortly before his death, marks the beginning of the Scientific Revolution.

Mexican philosopher, politician, and writer (1882–1959), a towering figure of post-Revolutionary Mexico. As Secretary of Education, he launched a sweeping national literacy program and became the patron of the muralist movement. Author of “La Raza Cósmica,” he developed a theory of a mestizo Latin American identity.

French writer, playwright, and filmmaker born in Aubagne in 1895. Author of the Marseilles Trilogy (*Marius*, *Fanny*, *César*) and autobiographical works such as *My Father's Glory*, he was the first filmmaker elected to the Académie française.

American chemist (1901–1994), Linus Pauling is one of the founders of modern molecular chemistry. He is one of the very few individuals to have received two Nobel Prizes: Chemistry in 1954 and Peace in 1962.

Paul Krugman is an American economist born in 1953, a specialist in international trade and economic geography. Winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics in 2008, he is also an influential columnist at the New York Times.