David Thouless was a British physicist known for his significant contributions to condensed matter physics. Born on April 25, 1934, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2016 for his work on topological phases of matter, which has important implications for understanding materials and quantum computing. Thouless studied at the University of Cambridge and later worked at various institutions, including the University of Washington. His research has influenced many areas of physics, particularly in understanding how certain materials can exhibit unique properties due to their topological characteristics.