- 1777-1855. German mathematician, physicist, and astronomer.
- The “Prince of Mathematicians,” with foundational contributions to number theory, algebra, statistics, analysis, and geometry.
- Proved the fundamental theorem of algebra and developed modular arithmetic.
- Introduced the Gaussian (normal) distribution, the backbone of statistics and error analysis.
- Contributed to electromagnetism (Gauss’s law) and geodesy (precise Earth measurement).
- His work on least squares estimation and curve fitting underpins modern machine learning and data science.