In the midst of all those A-list celebs dying, how about we bring the mood down with a Nobel winner? Murray Gell-Mann took the gong home for Physics in 1969 thanks to his work on the theory of elementary particles. The pre-eminent theoretical physicist of his era, his main contribution to the scientific world was the discovery and naming of quarks: the building blocks of all earthly matter. In his latter life, he turned his back on the traditional scientific establishment and followed a more avant garde path as co-founder of the Santa Fe institute. In particular, he was a fan of, as he called it, “any crackpot” who wanted to challenge the established scientific orthodoxy.
Murray Gell-Mann
September 15, 1929 – May 24, 2019
Died aged 89 (unique pick)