Lord Rayleigh, born John William Strutt in 1842, was a prominent British physicist known for his work in the field of acoustics and optics. He is best recognized for his discovery of Rayleigh scattering, which explains why the sky appears blue. His contributions to science earned him the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1904. In addition to his research, Lord Rayleigh served as the president of the Royal Society and was involved in various scientific organizations. He also made significant advancements in the study of gases and light, influencing future generations of scientists and researchers in these fields.