Why not write about people that almost no one knows about?
How about the guy who invented the transistor? Without that invention, we wouldn't have a majority of the electronics we have today.
What about the actress who helped invent sonar (I believe that was the case). Without that, we would have had a tough time winning the Atlantic in WWII.
These kinds of stories would be, at least, more interesting to write about since these people aren't very well known.
vash