19 People Who Rolled Up Their Sleeves and Singlehandedly Changed History

Everyone's experienced a situation when no one else was willing to step up and do what needed to be done. For most of us, it was probably fairly inconsequential, like a spouse not keeping up their fair share of the housework or an office full of people eager to test the bystander effect as it relates to refilling the coffee pot. That's not to say it didn't feel like a heroic achievement, but it was likely quickly forgotten, including by you.

Some people, however, have found themselves tasked with singlehandedly altering the course of history. They invented world-changing technology, turned themselves into human guinea pigs, or won entire wars all by themselves, all because they were the only ones willing to do it. That's why u/throwaway121270 asked r/AskReddit, had to know who else was out there like them.