Edmond Halley

Edmond Halley, a man of many scientific hats, was born in London to a wealthy soap-maker. Despite his father's sudsy success, Edmond preferred gazing at the stars rather than staring at bubbles, eventually becoming a prominent figure in the Royal Society and a close friend of Isaac Newton. He helped fund the publication of Principia Mathematica, because, let's face it, even geniuses need a patron sometimes.

Halley's most famous achievement, of course, was his groundbreaking work on cometary orbits. After studying historical records, he predicted the return of the comet of 1531, 1607, and 1682, declaring it would reappear in 1758. And what do you know? He was right! Though he didn't live to see it, the comet, now affectionately (and accurately) known as Halley's Comet, has been dutifully whizzing by ever since.

While Halley's contributions to science were stellar, his connection to the tribe? Non-existent. His English Protestant roots run deep, leaving no room for even a whisper of ancient Hebrew lineage or a penchant for lox and bagels. He was, by all accounts, a straightforward, comet-predicting, decidedly Gentile gentleman. Thus, no nachas from this quarter, unless you count his universal appeal as a scientific icon, which we don't, not for this purpose.