John von Neumann (December 28, 1903 – February 8, 1957) was a Hungarian-American mathematician, physicist, computer scientist, and polymath. He made groundbreaking contributions to mathematics, quantum mechanics, game theory, computer science, and economics. Von Neumann is one of the founders of modern computer architecture (the von Neumann architecture) and a key figure in the development of game theory and linear programming. He participated in the Manhattan Project, contributing to the atomic bomb, and proposed the theory of nuclear deterrence. Known for his extraordinary memory and rapid thinking, he was often called one of the 'Martians.' His work profoundly shaped 20th-century science and technology.