10. Taiwan (Republic of China Navy)

Over the last two decades, the Republic of China Navy has made significant upgrades in naval equipment, mostly by purchasing ships from the US. Taiwan needs a powerful maritime force in order to defend itself from a possible blockade or aggression from China.

The Republic of China Navy is composed of around 38,000 active personnel with over 100 ships on active duty. More specifically, the fleet consists of 4 destroyers, 20 frigates, 31 missile boats, 2 submarines, 12 patrol ships, 1 corvette, 9 minesweepers, 10 amphibious ships, 10 auxiliary ships, and 28 aircrafts.

Quite the formidable fleet, eh? I bet you didn’t expect a small country to have that kind of navy force. Of course, China has the more powerful navy. But you can count on Taiwan to put up a good fight should the two countries engage in maritime warfare. Of course, let’s hope the two countries don’t ever go head-to-head in the future.

9. Italy (Italian Navy)

The Italian Navy was formed in 1946. The Italian maritime force was called the Royal Navy until the Kingdom of Italy was replaced by the Italian Republic after World War II.

Composed of nearly 31,000 active personnel, the Italian Navy has all kinds of modern ships ready to be deployed anytime to protect the country from maritime threats. The fleet includes 2 aircraft carriers, 8 attack submarines, 3 amphibious assault ships, 4 destroyers, 13 frigates, 2 corvettes, 10 offshore patrol ships, 10 minehunters, and 4 coastal patrol boats.

The Italian Navy also has a wide range of auxiliary and support ships, which include diving support ships, hydrographic survey ships, coastal oil tanker ships, coastal transport ships, and coastal tugboats. Italy is continuously upgrading its navy forces, so expect the Italian Navy to become even more formidable within the next few years.

8. South Korea (Republic of Korea Navy)

Like Taiwan, South Korea has been steadily upgrading its naval forces since the 1990s. But unlike the Republic of China Navy, almost all of the ships deployed by the Republic of Korea Navy were built on home soil, with most of the ships built by big-name companies such as Hyundai and Daewoo.

The Republic of Korea Navy has approximately 70,000 active personnel, more than the combined personnel of the Italian Navy and the Republic of China Navy. The fleet includes 16 submarines, 1 amphibious assault ship, 6 landing ships, 8 landing crafts, 12 destroyers, 13 frigates, 16 corvettes, 11 mine countermeasures ships, and 70 patrol ships. Additionally, the Republic of Korea Navy has approximately 70 aircrafts.

With the threat of North Korea always on the horizon, South Korea definitely needs a powerful navy in order to protect itself against sea-based attacks from its neighbor. Fortunately, the South Korean economy has been steadily rising since the Korean War, allowing the government to spend a hefty amount of money on modern military equipment.

Based on how things are currently unfolding with North Korea, you can bet the South Korean government is looking into bolstering the country’s naval defenses even more.

7. India (Indian Navy)

Formerly called the Royal Indian Navy, the Indian Navy is one of the largest navies in the world, composed of over 67,000 active personnel and over 200 ships, which includes auxiliary and support ships. The Indian Navy is made up of both domestically produced ships and ships originating from other countries such as Russia, Germany, Israel, and Sri Lanka.

The Indian Navy has 1 aircraft carrier, 1 nuclear-powered attack submarine, 1 nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, 14 conventionally powered submarines, 11 destroyers, 14 frigates, 1 amphibious warfare ship, 8 landing ships, 8 landing crafts, 24 corvettes, 4 minesweepers, 1 torpedo recovery ship, 10 offshore patrol ships, 19 patrol ships, 110 patrol boats, and various auxiliary and support ships.

Commanded by the Chief of the Naval Staff, the Indian Army is one of the best navy forces in the world, capable of deterring all sorts of maritime threats. Overall, India fields one of the best militaries in the world. Not to mention, the country is also equipped with nukes.

6. France (French Navy)

Formed in 1624, the French Navy is one of the oldest navy forces in the world. Nicknamed “La Royale,” the French Navy participated in both World Wars and was instrumental in establishing the French colonial empire.

The French Navy is composed of about 36,000 active personnel and has over 200 aircrafts. The fleet includes 1 aircraft carrier, 4 ballistic missile submarines, 6 attack submarines, 3 amphibious warfare ships, 4 air-defense destroyers, 8 anti-submarine destroyers, 5 general-purpose frigates, 6 surveillance frigates, 21 patrol ships, and 18 mine countermeasures ships.

The roster also includes a number of auxiliary and support ships, including training ships, tugboats, and replenishment ships. France is also one of the top 10 countries with the most powerful nuclear weapons in the world, so the fact that it has such a formidable maritime force isn’t really surprising.

5. United Kingdom (Royal Navy)

The Royal Navy is a branch of Her Majesty’s Naval Service, which also includes the Royal Marines, Royal Naval Reserve, Royal Marines Reserve, and Naval Careers Service. Founded in 1546, the Royal Navy was once hailed the most powerful navy in the world.

The Royal Navy boasts a fleet of modernized ships, all built in the United Kingdom except for one ship, the HMS Protector. The fleet includes 1 aircraft carrier, 4 nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines, 6 nuclear-powered fleet submarines, 3 amphibious warfare ships, 6 destroyers, 13 frigates, 3 offshore patrols ships, 13 minehunters, 18 fast patrol boats, 4 survey ships, and 1 icebreaker (the aforementioned HMS Protector).

Additionally, the Royal Navy employs a Type 82 destroyer, the HMS Bristol, and a ship of the line, the HMS Victory. The latter is notable for being the oldest naval ship still in commission and serves as the flagship of the First Sea Lord.

4. Japan (Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force)

The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force was formally created in 1954, several years after the Imperial Japanese Navy was scrapped following World War II. It has nearly 51,000 active personnel and has a fleet composed of over 150 ships and over 300 aircrafts, making it one of the largest navy forces in the world.

The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force includes 17 attack submarines, 26 destroyers, 10 frigates, 4 helicopter destroyers, 6 corvettes, 3 landing ships, 2 landing crafts, 25 mine countermeasures ships, 6 patrol ships, and 8 training ships. The auxiliary fleet is composed of 5 replenishment ships, 5 training support ships, and various other ships, including an icebreaker and an experiment ship.

Just like South Korea, Japan has been recently upgrading its navy equipment in order to have the proper defense against the threat of North Korea. In fact, the Japanese government has been contemplating about deploying nuclear weapons as a deterrent against North Korea.

3. Russia (Russian Navy)

Officially formed in 1992 following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the current Russian Navy is one of the largest navy forces in the world. It features about 148,000 active personnel, nearly tripling the active personnel of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. It has over 300 active ships and over 300 aircrafts.

The main fleet of the Russian Navy is composed of 1 aircraft carrier, 1 battlecruiser, 3 cruisers, 13 destroyers, 8 frigates, 78 corvettes, 17 SSN attack submarines, 22 SSK attack submarines, 13 ballistic missile submarines, 7 cruise missile submarines, 3 special-purpose submarines, 19 landing ship tanks, 32 landing crafts, 14 special-purpose ships, 41 patrol boats, and 47 mine countermeasures ships.

Though Russia is more known for its powerful ground forces, the Russian Navy will be quick to remind everyone that the country is also heavily armed for maritime skirmishes.

2. China (People’s Liberation Army Navy)

The People’s Liberation Army Navy has rapidly developed into one of the most powerful navy forces in the world. It has the largest number of major combatants of any navy and has over 250,000 active personnel, a number only second to the US.

The People’s Liberation Army Navy is composed of – take a deep breath – 1 aircraft carrier, 5 amphibious transport docks, 1 mobile landing platform, 32 landing ship tanks, 31 landing ship mediums, 8 SSN attack submarines, 55 SSK attack submarines, 5 ballistic missile submarines, 2 experimental submarines, 34 destroyers, 51 frigates, 42 corvettes, 109 missile boats, 94 submarine chasers, 17 gunboats, 29 mine countermeasures ships, 12 replenishment ships, and over 200 auxiliary ships.

Furthermore, the People’s Liberation Army Navy has over 700 aircrafts in service. In summary: Don’t mess with China. Ever.

1. United States (United States Navy)

The United States Navy is hands down the best and most powerful navy in the world. It eclipses all the other navies in the world by an almost comical margin. It has over 300,000 active personnel with another 100,000 in reserve. Most notably, the United States Navy can deploy over 3,700 aircrafts, which is a totally insane number.

The list of commissioned ships of the United States Navy includes 11 aircraft carriers, 9 amphibious assault ships, 2 amphibious command ships, 11 amphibious transport docks, 52 attack submarines, 14 ballistic missile submarines, 4 guided missile submarines, 1 classic frigate, 22 cruisers, 65 destroyers, 12 dock landing ships, 1 expeditionary mobile base, 10 littoral combat ships, 11 mine countermeasures ships, 13 patrol boats, and 2 submarine tenders.

Technically, the USS Pueblo, a technical research ship, is still in commission. However, it is currently held captive by North Korea, which attacked and captured the ship for allegedly entering North Korean territory in 1968.

The US is easily the top country with the best navy force in the world. And it will most likely remain at the top for the foreseeable future, based on how much the US government spends on military equipment.

10. Mother Theresa

Obviously, she’s nobody’s “Mom”, because Mother Theresa was an Indian Citizen Roman Catholic nun of Albanian ethnicity. What makes her extremely popular all over the world is her known charitable works. She devoted 45 years of her life helping the poor, sick, orphaned and dying. That, while running the charity institution she founded herself in 1950, the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta, as it has gradually expanded throughout and beyond India.

She died in 1997 and by then, there were 610 missions in 123 countries, including hospices and homes for people with HIV, leprosy, and tuberculosis; soup kitchens; children’s and family counseling programs; orphanages and schools.

It was in 1979 when she won the Nobel Peace Prize. After her death in 1997, she was beatified by Pope John Paul II. She then became a saint and given the title Blessed Mother Theresa of Calcutta.**

9. Bob Dylan

Perhaps the latest awardee in this list, Robert Zimmerman, otherwise known as Bob Dylan in the music industry, won a Nobel Prize in Literature, for basically creating catchy, observant, sharp, and socially-relevant lyrics. Dylan was the first musician to have received the award in that category, and his lyrical genius and longevity have contributed to him wrapping up the Nobel Prize.

Some of Dylan’s lyrical body of work: You that build all the bombs/You that hide behind walls/You that hide behind desks/I just want you to know/I can see through your masks from the song “Masters of War”.

… and As human gods aim for their mark/Make everything from toy guns that spark/To flesh-coloured Christs that glow in the dark/Easy to see without looking too far/That not much is really sacred, a shot to what he calls ‘society’s false gods’ in the song ‘It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)’ both from the 1960’s.

Dylan wasn’t around to accept his literature prize but it’s safe to say, he has already made his mark.

8. Werner Heisenberg

Does anyone love quantum mechanics? You got Werner Heisenberg to thank for. This guy was given the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1932 “for the creation of quantum mechanics.” Quantum mechanics (or quantum physics or quantum theory) “is a branch of physics which is the fundamental theory of nature at the smallest scales of energy levels and subatomic particles”.**

In a way, this stuff completely changed the way we understand reality. The principle of this theory states that “light, electrons, atoms and, indeed, all things act simultaneously like particles and like waves.” He is also known for the “Heisenberg uncertainty principle.”

Published in 1927, it states that “it is impossible to know with perfect accuracy both a particle’s position and its velocity. Know where a particle is, and you have no idea where it is going, or how fast.”

7. MLK, Jr.

Martin Luther King, Jr. was actually the youngest person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize at the age of 35. He actually suffered from depression during his adolescent years and felt resentment against white people for the racial humiliation he, his family and neighbors had experienced.

Later, he became known for his role in ending racial discrimination and advancement of civil rights movements through non-violent ways based on his Christian beliefs and an inspiration from Mahatma Gandhi. And that, folks, was the reason he got the Nobel Peace Prize award in 1964.

He is also known for his public speech “I Have A Dream”, which was a call to end racism in the US and to call for civil and economic rights.

To say MLK is an icon is a serious understatement.

6. The Red Cross

This organization got the most number of Nobel Peace Prizes of any entity and individuals combined. The International Committee of the Red Cross was awarded Peace Prizes in 1917 and 1944 for its notable contribution in helping people during the First and Second World Wars and a third Peace Prize in 1963 together with the League of Red Cross Societies. It marked their 100th Foundation anniversary.

Red Cross is known for visiting and monitoring the POW camps of all partied during world wars. It has also organized relief assistance not only during wars but also during disasters and calamities. With 97 million volunteers, member and staff worldwide, this organization was mainly founded to protect human life, and health, to ensure respect for human beings and to prevent and alleviate human suffering.*

5. Watson, Crick, and Wilkins.

If you like If Gossip Girl, you probably would like to hear Watson, Crick, and Wilkins’ story. (My girlfriend do watch these stuff, FYI.) These three scientists got the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1962 for discovering that DNA is actually shaped like a double-helix. It was Francis Crick and James Watson who first made the discovery and Maurice Wilkins shared the award with them for backing up and supporting their claim with evidence.

What made it sound like a plot from a backstabbing-friend-themed-series is the controversy behind it. This was because a biophysicist named Rosalind Franklin, Maurice Wilkin’s colleague, acquired some images of DNA using crystallography, although this idea was first introduced by Wilkins. Franklin’s images paved way for James Watson and Francis Crick to create their double-helix (or two-strand), model.

Franklin died of cancer in 1958. Her colleague Maurice Wilkins together with Watson and Francis Crick got the honor 4 years after her death but Franklin was not included in the award.

The reason for her exclusion remains unclear although, to nobody’s surprise, politics do creep in in the tightest of spaces.

4. Hermann Muller –

Did you know that too much exposure to radiation causes mutations and genetic defects? I didn’t know either. Not until I learned that American biologist Hermann Muller was the one who discovered it. In fact, that’s the reason he was awarded Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1946.

In the 1920s, he spent most of his time investigating the effects of X-Rays on various organisms.** It was in 1926 when he discovered the relationship between radiation exposure and lethal mutation. He actively publicizes the grave, long-term dangers of radiation exposure. When his work was recognized by the Nobel committee, it drew public attention since it happened during the wake of atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Until his death, he remained the leading voice campaigning against nuclear weapon testing. At least I’m sure he won’t ever be buddy-buddy with Kim Jong-Un.

3. Sir Alexander Fleming & Co.

The story of Sir Alexander Fleming, a Scottish physician, biologist, pharmacologist, and botanist, teaches us that sometimes, it pays not to be too much of a neat freak. At least in the case of Fleming, untidiness can be a blessing in disguise. (Don’t say that to my uncle!)

He was known as a brilliant researcher but his laboratory was always untidy. Rumor has it that he accidentally ate a bread full of molds then got cured of an infectious disease.

Thus, the discovery of Penicillin. Upon his return after a month-long holiday with his family, he discovered that one of his cultures of staphylococci was contaminated with fungus. That particular culture was destroyed, while the other cultures farther away remained normal. He then grew the mold and found out that it produced a substance that can kill a number of disease-causing bacteria.

Later on, he spent the next couple of decades discovering the anti-bacterial effects of this mold until he developed Penicillin which can cure staph diseases, gonorrhea, scarlet fever, pneumonia, meningitis, diphtheria and other infectious diseases.

2. Marie Curie & Co.

Marie Curie was a very notable Nobel Prize awardee because she was the first woman to ever win the award. I’m not playing the gender card here, but seriously. Not only that, she won two Nobel Prizes in two different fields. That also made her the first woman to win two Nobel Prize awards.

The first was with her husband Pierre together with Henri Becquerel, they won Physics Prize in 1903 for discovering radioactivity. The second was in 1911 for Chemistry when she discovered the elements radium and polonium, which she named after her native country, Poland. It’s just sad that she died of aplastic anemia in 1934 at the age of 66, due to her exposure to radiation while doing her scientific research in the course of her radiological work at field hospitals during World War I.

And it looks like the Curies are the Nobel Prize’s favorites. Her daughter Joliot Curie and her husband Frederic also got an award for Chemistry in 1935. Also, the husband of Marie Curie’s second daughter Henry Labouisse won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1965.

I guess it just runs in the family.

1. Albert Einstein

Albert Einstein is, by far, the most popular and most unforgettable scientist in the history of mankind, in my opinion. After all, he promoted the distracted lifestyle image by his fuzzy, uncombed hair that would make Snoop Dogg growl in jealousy.

Before him, only a few people understood that distractedness may equate to being a genius, which is true in Einstein’s case. His mostly known for developing the Theory of Relativity and the E = mc2  or mass-energy equivalence. But he won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921 for discovering the law of photoelectric effect. It was an unbelievable, baffling incident, in which atoms, when bombarded with lights, emitted electrons.

When Einstein won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921, he did not get his prize until 1923 in which he was a guest speaker at a ceremony. As a child, he was terribly distracted, always forgets his stuff. But Einstein’s story proves that a sloppy look doesn’t always mean untidy – sometimes it means you just have a strong focus on inner thoughts.