Swedish author, physician, professor, and statistician Hans Rosling won many awards for his insights in public health and data analysis. He passed away from pancreatic cancer in 2017; however, his publications, recorded lectures, and his and his son’s Trendalyzer software continue to influence the world.

Some have criticized him as overly optimistic, but he denied that assessment. He called himself a “possibilist,” pointing out that his hopes were all well-grounded in reason. A lot of that criticism came from reviews of his book, “Factfulness: Ten Reasons We’re Wrong About the World—and Why Things Are Better Than You Think.”

Rosling’s upbeat personality got him a few gigs as a presenter for documentaries. As an avid hobbyist, he also enjoyed showing off his sword swallowing skills. His son, Ola Rosling, has followed in his footsteps to become a statistician and head the Gapminder Foundation that they founded together with Ola’s wife, Anna Rosling Rönnlund.