Who is the world's top physicist and why ?

We mean alive today?

 

If so I would have to say Witten as he has been very influential. His work is generally in the area of quantum field theory, string theory and their interaction with geometry and topology. As such he as influenced both theoretical physicists and pure mathematicians alike. He has won a Fields medal, which is like the Nobel prize for mathematics.

Yes , alive today ?

There are so many different attributes to take into account - realistically only history can be the judge. As a nomination from the teaching/educational side (although not exactly lacking on the theoretical/experiment either) - Walter Lewin, whose televised lectures of his first year physics course at MIT have been watched by millions of people. He is the archetypal nutty professor with wild hair, burning enthusiasm and a genuine engagement with students

There are so many different attributes to take into account - realistically only history can be the judge. As a nomination from the teaching/educational side (although not exactly lacking on the theoretical/experiment either) - Walter Lewin, whose televised lectures of his first year physics course at MIT have been watched by millions of people. He is the archetypal nutty professor with wild hair, burning enthusiasm and a genuine engagement with students

I second the Walter Lewin nomination!

 

Michio Kaku brilliant

 

Trouble with Kaku is so much of his stuff is wildly speculative - and people who hear him speaking on his TV shows do not realise that much of what he say is only very vaguely realistic and any firming up of these ideas is a long way into the future.

Michio Kaku brilliant

 

Trouble with Kaku is so much of his stuff is wildly speculative - and people who hear him speaking on his TV shows do not realise that much of what he say is only very vaguely realistic and any firming up of these ideas is a long way into the future.

 

 

Kaku I know for his text books on QFT and string theory. He is known as one the the originators of string field theory; a difficult subject that probably has not lived up to its initial expectations.

 

His main influence on physicist is probably mostly due to his textbooks.