Edward Kasner was an American mathematician known for his work in the field of mathematics during the early 20th century. He is particularly famous for popularizing the term googol, which represents the number 10 raised to the power of 100. This concept helped to illustrate the vastness of large numbers. In addition to his work on large numbers, Kasner collaborated with his niece, Milton Sirotta, to introduce the term googolplex, which is 10 raised to the power of a googol. His contributions to mathematics have had a lasting impact, particularly in the areas of number theory and mathematical education.