Who is the father of the thermodynamics?

The father of thermodynamics is often considered to be Sadi Carnot, a French physicist whose work in the early 19th century laid the groundwork for the field. His 1824 publication, "Reflections on the Motive Power of Fire," introduced the concept of the heat engine and the principles of efficiency that would later be formalized into the laws of thermodynamics. Carnot's ideas were pivotal in understanding the relationship between heat, work, and energy, influencing later scientists like Rudolf Clausius and William Thomson (Lord Kelvin).