It took more than 30 years for quasar absorption line studies to mature into the science that the pioneers of the field always dreamed it could be. Faced with the cosmic quandary of the century, they ushered in an astronomy revolution. They made the discoveries, build the foundation, saw the possibilities, but never got to actually do the science of their dreams. That science really came to be possible starting in the late 1990s and early 2000s. In this blog, we honor the pioneers and the second generation of trailblazers. We offer brief biographies of these individuas with focus on their scienctific firsts and achievements.

Before quasars, we were without the scientfic tools to probe the depths of time and space. We were without the ability to formulate testable ideas about the origin and evolution of the universe. Then quasars were discovered and they ushered in the modern age of astronomy. (This blog was originally written and appeared on the blog site "1584" hosted by Cambridge University Press.)