Jesus has been named the most significant person in human history, followed by Napoleon and Shakespeare, as ruled by the internet.
Based on the impact on opinions certain individuals have had over time, and how that has reflected onto their Wikipedia pages, two computer scientists have come up with the ultimate list.
Professor Steven Skiena and Charles Ward use quantative analysis to rank more than a thousand historical figures and prominent people, from Elvis to Beethoven, Stalin and Queen Victoria.
Alexander’s teacher and the founder of Western philosophy, Aristotle, is listed as number eight.
The list sees three US presidents, two of which were the founding fathers of the United States, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson.
THE TEN MOST SIGNIFICANT FIGURES IN HUMAN HISTORY
1. Jesus
2. Napoleon Bonaparte
3. William Shakespeare
4. Muhammad
5. Abraham Lincoln
6. George Washington
7. Adolf Hitler
8. Aristotle
9. Alexander the Great
10. Thomas Jefferson
By collection millions of opinions on famous and infamous figures throughout history they have calculated, how successfully the idea of each person has spread in society through time.
‘We would call Jesus "the most significant person ever",’ Professor Skiena said.
‘With over two billion followers a full 2,000 years after his death, Jesus is an incredibly successful historical meme.’
