  This study utilizes global digitalized books and articles to examine the
scientific fame of the most influential physicists. Our research reveals that
the greatest minds are gone but not forgotten. Their scientific impacts on
human history have persisted for centuries. We also find evidence in support of
own-group fame preference, i.e., that the scientists have greater reputations
in their home countries or among scholars sharing the same languages. We argue
that, when applied appropriately, Google Books and Ngram Viewer can serve as
promising tools for altmetrics, providing a more comprehensive picture of the
impacts scholars and their achievements have made beyond academia.
