Leon Cooper is an American physicist known for his significant contributions to the field of condensed matter physics. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1972, along with John Robert Schrieffer and John Bardeen, for their development of the BCS theory, which explains how electrons can form pairs and move through a superconductor without resistance. Cooper was born on February 28, 1930, in New York City. He earned his Ph.D. from Columbia University and has held various academic positions, including at Brown University. His work has had a lasting impact on both theoretical physics and practical applications in technology.