Albert A. Michelson was an American physicist born on December 19, 1852. He is best known for his work on the measurement of the speed of light, which earned him the first Nobel Prize in Physics awarded to an American in 1907. His famous experiment, the Michelson interferometer, helped to demonstrate the wave nature of light. Michelson's contributions to science extended beyond his experiments. He played a significant role in the development of precision measurement techniques and was a professor at several prestigious institutions, including the University of Chicago. His legacy continues to influence modern physics and engineering.