The prominent figure behind the Theory of Relativity that impacted scientific thought was Albert Einstein. His groundbreaking theories, published in 1905 and 1915, revolutionized the understanding of physics, particularly space, time, and gravity. The first part of his theory, the Special Theory of Relativity, introduced the idea that the laws of physics are the same for all non-accelerating observers and revealed the concept of time dilation. The second part, the General Theory of Relativity, presented gravity as the curvature of spacetime caused by mass. Einstein's work profoundly influenced modern physics and our understanding of the universe.