Isaac Asimov (c. January 2, 1920 – April 6, 1992) was an American writer and professor of biochemistry at Boston University. Known for being one of the "Big Three" science fiction writers, alongside Robert A. Heinlein and Arthur C. Clarke, Asimov was a prolific writer, authoring or editing more than 500 books and an estimated 90,000 letters and postcards. His writing spanned across hard science fiction, mysteries, fantasy, as well as popular science and other non-fiction.

Asimov's most celebrated works include the Foundation series, which won the one-time Hugo Award for "Best All-Time Series" in 1966. His universe was further expanded with the Galactic Empire series and the Robot series, creating a unified "future history" for his works. Asimov also penned over 380 short stories, among them the highly acclaimed social science fiction novelette "Nightfall". Additionally, he adopted the pen name Paul French to write the Lucky Starr series of juvenile science-fiction novels.

Beyond fiction, Asimov's popular science books are known for their historical approach to explaining scientific concepts. Notable works include Guide to Science, the three-volume Understanding Physics, and Asimov's Chronology of Science and Discovery. He also explored a wide range of other topics, from chemistry and astronomy to history and literary criticism, becoming a significant figure in scientific and non-scientific literature.

Asimov was the president of the American Humanist Association and a long-time member of Mensa, which he described as "intellectually combativos". His legacy continues to influence not only the realm of science fiction but also the broader field of scientific education and communication.