Paul Baran was an American engineer and computer scientist, best known for his pioneering work in the field of computer networking. Born on April 29, 1926, he played a crucial role in the development of the ARPANET, the precursor to the modern Internet. His ideas on distributed networks laid the foundation for robust communication systems that could withstand failures. In the 1960s, Baran proposed the concept of packet switching, a method of breaking data into smaller packets for transmission. This innovation allowed for more efficient use of network resources and improved reliability. His contributions have had a lasting impact on how data is transmitted and shared globally.