Gateway Biographies

On March 19, 2013, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina became Pope Francis, the 266th Pope of the Catholic Church. His election to the papacy was notable in many ways. He became the first pope from the Americas, the first pope from the Southern Hemisphere, the first non-European pope in more than 1,200 years, the first Jesuit pope, and the first pope to choose the name Francis. Pope Francis was not the person that most people expected to ascend to the papacy when Pope Benedict XVI resigned from the role in late February 2013. While serving as the Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Cardinal Bergoglio was known for his dedication to helping the poor and admired for his modest lifestyle. After his inauguration, Pope Francis retained many of his humble ways. People around the globe eagerly watch to see what changes he might bring about in the Catholic Church. Follow Pope Francis's journey to the papacy, from his days as a young chemist to his studies of theology. Learn more about his beliefs and hobbies-including his interests in soccer and tango dancing. Find out the true story behind the man who became the 266th pope.

What's more popular than Tumblr? This micro blogging site has taken the Web by storm since its founding in 2007. Not much can top it when it comes to capturing its fans' imaginations, except for perhaps its creator, David Karp. Karp developed Tumblr after he tried to start a blog and found the process daunting. With most platforms, a blogger faces a huge, empty text box that begs to be filled with words. It was intimidating for a guy who'd never blogged before. Karp had the idea for tumble logging-creating short blog posts-and built Tumblr as a platform. It lets users easily post both text and images, making Tumblr highly visual and expressive. Creating a different way to blog came naturally to Karp, who never does things by the book. At fifteen, he dropped out of school. At seventeen, he moved to Tokyo, holing up with a computer and fine-tuning his tech skills. He returned to the states to build a business-but to do that, he stretched the truth. He used a deep voice on the phone with potential clients so they wouldn't guess how young he was. He didn't tell anyone how little experience he had. Yet people could see he had a good thing going with Tumblr. The company quickly found support and grew into what it is today: a groundbreaking site for connection and creation. And as the mastermind behind it, Karp is sure to remain a figure to watch.

On October 5, 2011, the news of the death of technology innovator Steve Jobs rocked the world. The failing health of the Apple cofounder and Pixar CEO was no secret. Jobs had given up his role as Apple's CEO just a few months prior because of his struggle with pancreatic cancer. But his death still drew a huge reaction. From Apple employees and fans to political and business leaders, people honored Jobs's passing by reflecting on his prolific life that greatly influenced the way technology is used. In 1976, Jobs founded Apple Computer with Steve Wozniak. As the leaders of Apple, they developed concepts-such as navigating by using a mouse to click screen icons-that shaped the way we use and interact with computers. Jobs's forward-thinking engineering also influenced pop culture, bringing us a music revolution with the iPod, the ultimate communication device with the iPhone, and some of the first computer-animated films through Pixar. Called by some "the da Vinci of our time," Jobs used his innovation and vision to help advance technology like no other. He lived his life following a simple premise: "The only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do."

Michael Jackson's journey to fame began in 1966 at age eight, when he started singing with his brothers in the Jackson 5. In the early 1970s, he launched a solo career, accumulating a dozen number-one singles. His record-breaking album, Thriller, has sold an estimated 110 million copies worldwide. He won seventeen Grammy awards and was introduced into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice. In 2009, people of all ages mourned Michael's sudden death. Adored for his music, dancing, and performing-and known for his highly publicized personal life-Michael Jackson remains the ultimate music legend.