After mass performances by feminists, women decided to step out of the shadows and reveal their talents to the world. And now, when a woman in politics, science and management is no longer nonsense, we can observe a number of interesting and useful discoveries.
We will consider 10 famous women who have achieved success in the academic field and presented to the world their developments and inventions, thereby influencing the course of the technological progress of the world. Below are presented not so much modern scholars on the path of which there are no financial, social and political barriers, but women inventors of past centuries who were not afraid to change the world way.
10. Dorothy Crowfoot-Hodgkin
The form of biological molecules determines their further functions. First of all, this concerns proteins, therefore, the identification of the three-dimensional structure of biopolymers (nowadays popular 3D) is the most important task of biochemistry. Doctor and biochemist Dorothy Hodgkin took the existing X-ray crystallography technique at the beginning of the 20th century and modified it for structural analysis of biomolecules. Dorothy performed an analysis of vitamin B 12 and penicillin, was able to establish the structure of insulin. In 1964, she was awarded the Nobel Prize for her achievements. Until now, the structure of proteins in 3D has been experimentally determined worldwide.
9. Irene Joliot-Curie
A woman scientist from France was nominated for a Nobel Prize for achievements in the field of chemistry. Irene was able to get new radioactive elements, and working together with her husband Frederic Joliot invented radiation obtained by artificial means. By the way, Irene is the eldest daughter of the outstanding woman scientist Maria Curie. She has also been honored with many honors from renowned academic institutions and communities.
8. Maria Göppert-Mayer
A woman can become a famous theoretical physicist, as an American of German descent proved. Maria theoretically substantiated the shell structure of the atomic nucleus, which made a significant contribution to the structure of nuclear energy and was even nominated in 1963 for the Nobel Prize in physics.
7. Rosalind Franklin
The role of this woman in science, many researchers consider the key for the 20th century. Nevertheless, her contribution has been diminished for many decades (this was partly facilitated by the early departure of the scientist from life due to oncology). The Nobel Committee refused to award a prize to a talented woman who first performed an X-ray diffraction study of deoxyribonucleic acid. Thanks to Rosalind, scientists were able to visualize the structure of DNA - the presence of a double helix.
6. Lisa Meitner
This famous female scientist is at the very beginning of the invention of nuclear weapons. It was she who split the uranium core into parts and noted the subsequent chain reaction, accompanied by the release of energy. Meitner realized that the possibility of creating the most dangerous weapons could ruin the world, therefore, being a pacifist, she refused to invent the “bomb”. By the way, Lisa was a professor at the University of Berlin - and at that time the woman simply could not apply for such a position. The woman researcher was never given the Nobel Prize, which she earned for discovering nuclear decay - she was received by a man from her team, Otto Gan. Not so long ago, the name of the scientist was named a new chemical element in the periodic table (Meitnerium) and assigned 109 numbers.
5. Ada Lovelace
Born Byron (daughter of the famous Lord Byron) found herself in the research field. She advised the scientist Charles Babbage, who designed a mechanical computer, helping him create the first program for computing. Ada in the 40s of the 19th century developed a special operation algorithm that allowed the device to help people in mathematics and calculations. Having inherited from her father a tendency to romanticize what is happening, Lovelace hoped that computers could serve the benefit of humanity and radically change the lives of many, which, in fact, we are now observing. Therefore, we boldly call the woman scientist the world's first programmer.
4. Maria Skłodowska-Curie
A well-known woman scientist from school was working in tandem with her husband Pierre, which allowed the family synergistic couple to significantly advance in the study of radiation. Maria has several research areas - a chemist, physicist, and teacher. She became the first woman in world practice who was able to receive the Nobel Prize (and she has 2 of them). The scientist discovered such useful chemical elements as radium and polonium, and also studied their structure, nature and possible compounds. Maria also examined the effect of radiation on malignant tumors.
3. Gertrude Elyon
In collaboration with several men, the selfless Gertrude studied the properties of a number of chemicals, which contributed to the creation of effective medicines. It is to her that the world owes drugs for leukemia (blood cancer), malaria, as well as herpes, and in fact the previously mentioned diseases were incurable. Gertrude found a medicine capable of stopping the growth and development of malignant cells in 1950 and named him Mercapturin. For the developed principles of conservative treatment, in 1988 she received the Nobel Prize.
2. Barbara McClintock
A scientist in the field of genetic research in 1948 discovered the movement of genes, and received the Nobel Prize only at the age of 81, while becoming the third female laureate. Barbara studied the effect of x-ray irradiation on the chromosome set of maize, finding that genetic structures can move. She revealed that mobile genes can also alter the functioning of neighboring ones, which led to mutations. This contradicted the postulates of the chromosome theory developed by male colleagues. However, McClintock did not give up and conducted experiments for another 6 years, publishing the results. The woman taught her theory to cytologists from the countries of South America, which made it possible to isolate genetic structures as a result. She also described telomeres (explain cell division and biological aging) and ring chromosomes (reveal the nature of genetic diseases).
1. Mary Anning
The scientist grew up in a carpenter's family and did not go on the alleged path of secular ladies. The woman was at the origins of field paleontology, for which she risked health, life and relationships in society. She discovered the remains of prehistoric animals and dinosaurs at a time when the scientific world was not aware of the importance of such discoveries. The first full skeleton (it was an ichthyosaur) she and her brother found at the age of 12 years, after which she decided to devote herself to searching for the remains. Mary for life managed to collect the complete skeletons of a pterosaur and plesiosaur, and contemporaries used the results of her work, not allowing them to enter official scientific circles. The scientific studies of Enning were not recognized until the end of the 19th century.
Brave women overcame the conventions of society and were able to serve humanity by making a significant contribution to chemistry, physics, information technology, medicine and history.