TIMELINER

History's most surprising connections

Who Was Alive in 2021

35 of 328 historical figures were alive in 2021

James Watson
James WatsonAge 93
1928–present · Science & Invention
Co-discovered the structure of DNA
Noam Chomsky
Noam ChomskyAge 93
1928–present · Philosophy & Thought
Father of modern linguistics, political activist
Tu Youyou
Tu YouyouAge 91
1930–present · Science & Invention
Discovered artemisinin, Nobel Prize in Medicine
Desmond Tutu
Desmond TutuAge 90
1931–2021 · Activism & Social Change
Anti-apartheid cleric, Nobel Peace Prize
Yoko Ono
Yoko OnoAge 88
1933–present · Art
Avant-garde artist, peace activist
Wole Soyinka
Wole SoyinkaAge 87
1934–present · Literature
First African Nobel laureate in Literature
Jane Goodall
Jane GoodallAge 87
1934–present · Science & Invention
World's foremost expert on chimpanzees
Dalai Lama
Dalai LamaAge 86
1935–present · Philosophy & Thought
Tibetan spiritual leader, Nobel Peace Prize
Woody Allen
Woody AllenAge 86
1935–present · Film & Entertainment
Annie Hall, prolific filmmaker
Pope Francis
Pope FrancisAge 85
1936–2025 · Philosophy & Thought
First pope from the Americas
Francis Ford Coppola
Francis Ford CoppolaAge 82
1939–present · Film & Entertainment
The Godfather trilogy, Apocalypse Now
Pelé
PeléAge 81
1940–2022 · Sports
The King of Football, 3 World Cups
Bob Dylan
Bob DylanAge 80
1941–present · Music
Blowin' in the Wind, Nobel Prize in Literature
Billie Jean King
Billie Jean KingAge 78
1943–present · Sports
Tennis champion, gender equality advocate
Aung San Suu Kyi
Aung San Suu KyiAge 76
1945–present · Activism & Social Change
Myanmar democracy leader, Nobel laureate
Steven Spielberg
Steven SpielbergAge 75
1946–present · Film & Entertainment
Jaws, Schindler's List, greatest blockbuster director
Haruki Murakami
Haruki MurakamiAge 72
1949–present · Literature
Norwegian Wood, surreal modern fiction
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah WinfreyAge 67
1954–present · Film & Entertainment
Media mogul, cultural icon
Ai Weiwei
Ai WeiweiAge 64
1957–present · Art
Chinese dissident artist, Sunflower Seeds
Rigoberta Menchú
Rigoberta MenchúAge 62
1959–present · Activism & Social Change
Indigenous rights leader, Nobel Peace Prize
Wayne Gretzky
Wayne GretzkyAge 60
1961–present · Sports
The Great One, greatest ice hockey player
Barack Obama
Barack ObamaAge 60
1961–present · Politics & Leadership
44th US President, first African American president
Michael Jordan
Michael JordanAge 58
1963–present · Sports
Greatest basketball player of all time
Jeff Bezos
Jeff BezosAge 57
1964–present · Business & Industry
Founded Amazon, space entrepreneur
Elon Musk
Elon MuskAge 50
1971–present · Business & Industry
Tesla, SpaceX, tech entrepreneur
Banksy
BanksyAge 47
1974–present · Art
Anonymous street artist, subversive murals
Roger Federer
Roger FedererAge 40
1981–present · Sports
Tennis legend, 20 Grand Slam titles
Beyoncé
BeyoncéAge 40
1981–present · Music
Global pop icon, Lemonade
Serena Williams
Serena WilliamsAge 40
1981–present · Sports
Greatest female tennis player of all time
Usain Bolt
Usain BoltAge 35
1986–present · Sports
Fastest man in history
Lionel Messi
Lionel MessiAge 34
1987–present · Sports
Greatest footballer of all time
Taylor Swift
Taylor SwiftAge 32
1989–present · Music
Best-selling music artist of the 2020s
Malala Yousafzai
Malala YousafzaiAge 24
1997–present · Activism & Social Change
Youngest Nobel Prize laureate, education advocate
Billie Eilish
Billie EilishAge 20
2001–present · Music
Bad Guy, youngest Album of the Year winner
Greta Thunberg
Greta ThunbergAge 18
2003–present · Activism & Social Change
Youth climate activist, Fridays for Future
← 2020 2022 →