"People like him, as he'll say, who've been very fortunate in life, have the ability to pay a little bit more, " Mr. Plouffe said.

WSJ: Obama Puts Taxes on Table

As a physicist myself, I am quite in awe of this man's contribution to my field, but I was fortunate enough to have recently been given the opportunity to dig a little into his life and work through my recent filming of a three-part BBC Four series on medieval Islamic scientists.

BBC: The 'first true scientist'

For people in need and less fortunate communities we want to help with our philanthropic efforts, scale is a matter of life and death.

FORBES: Forces for Good: All Good is Not Created Equal

But for those of us fortunate enough to sample life in Japan, it has been an experience never to be forgotten with a thousand memories to be stored away forever.

BBC: World Cup memory lane