Scientific women your kids should know

Since time immemorial, history is replete with women who have been key to the evolution of science. Women whose findings have contributed to great discoveries and have allowed progress to shape the world as we know it today.

Many of the great finds in history have been the work of bright-minded women who were silenced by their gender. Most of these women had to see their work ignored, hidden and even stolen by men who received recognition that did not correspond to them.

Fortunately, more and more efforts are being made to make the work of women in science visible. But there is still much work to be done since, although there are many women scientists, positions of responsibility continue to be held mostly by men. 

For this reason, and to celebrate the Day of Women and Girls in Science, I bring you a small sample of women scientists that our children should know.

Scientific women your kids should know

Hypatia of Alexandria

Hypatia was a teacher and mathematician who lived in ancient AlexandriaBack in the beginning of the XNUMXth century, he was the head of the Neoplatonic school of Alexandria, where he educated both Christian and pagan aristocrats who came to occupy great positions.

He excelled in logical studies and exact sciences. He wrote on geometry, algebra, and astronomy, improved the design of the early astrolabe, and invented a hydrometer. For all this, it is considered by many as the first woman scientist in history. Hypatia was murdered by a crowd of Christians, probably because of her connection with paganism, which in the days of the first Christian patriarchs, convulsed society.

Marie Curie (Poland 1867-1934)

She was a pioneer in the study of radioactivity and first woman to win a Nobel Prize specifically in physics, to be discovered with her husband, radium and polonium. Years later he would become the first person in history to receive the award for the second time, this time in chemistry, for his research on radium and its compounds.

To get to win the Nobel, Marie had to overcome multiple difficulties, including access to university which, at that time, was forbidden to women in Poland. He died a victim of a disease caused by his many years of exposure to radioactive elements.

Rosalind Franklin (UK 1920-1958)

Chemist and crystallographer whose research was of vital importance in understanding the structure of DNA and RNA. Her work led her to discover the DNA double helix, for which Watson, Crick and Wilkins shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine in 1962. Years later it was recognized that Rosalind should also have been awarded, but she had already died.

Lise Meitner (Austrian 1878-1968)

Lise was an Austrian physicist whose work in radioactivity and nuclear physics led to the discovery of nuclear fission. A discovery for which his colleague Otto Hahn received the Nobel Prize. She is also the only woman to have an element in her honor on the periodic table, meitnerium, whose discovery led to the atomic age.

Rachel Carson (United States 1907-1964)

Rachel's investigations led her to warn about the dangers of pesticides in the environment. His work, Silent Spring, began the concern about the deterioration of the environment. It also managed to stop DDT from being used in pesticides. His work is a reference in environmentalism. The controversy it aroused led to the creation of the Environment Agency in the United States.

Jane Goodall (UK 1934)

English primatologist, anthropologist and ethologist who had many problems studying due to her financial limitations. He has been studying the social and family interactions of wild chimpanzees in Tanzania for more than half a century. That is why it is considered the greatest expert on chimpanzees in the world. His research is a reference for new generations of biologists. She is the founder of the Goodall institute and has done multiple jobs related to conservation and animal welfare. He also belongs to the committee of the Human Rights Project since its foundation in 1996.

Ada Lovelace (UK 1815-1852)

British writer and mathematician considered the first programmer in history. In the middle of the XNUMXth century, he discovered the mathematical algorithms that would be the predecessors of those used in today's computers.

These are just some examples of women who, through silence and anonymity, have contributed to great discoveries and scientific advances. But there are many more, which deserve to be recognized and remembered. I hope this post has served to awaken your curiosity and encourage you to continue discovering these great women scientists.