At all times in the world there was an opinion that the female sex and science are incompatible things. However, women scientists who have contributed to the development of mankind at all stages of history dispute this unfair treatment.
Scholarly Women of the Ancient World
Even when civilization was at the very beginning of its heyday, representatives of the weaker sex in rare cases got the opportunity to do science. Most female scientists lived in ancient Greece, despite the strict patriarchy that reigned there.
The most famous representative of the scientific community was Hypatia, who lived in this country at the end of the 4th - beginning of the 5th century AD. e. She was the daughter of the famous scientist Theon of Alexandria, as a result of which she had access to education. In addition to the fact that she taught in Alexandria such subjects as philosophy, mathematics and astronomy, on which she wrote scientific works. Hypatia was also an inventor: she created such scientific devices as a distiller, an astrolabe and a hydrometer.
Ancient female scientists also lived in other countries. Information about Mary Prophetissa, who lived in the 1st century AD, has reached our time. e. in Jerusalem. Being engaged in alchemy, following the example of most scientists of thattime, she made a tangible contribution to the development of modern chemistry. It was she who invented the system for heating liquids in a steam bath and the first prototype of the distillation cube.
Discoveries made by women scientists
Despite the strict restriction of access to knowledge, the fairer sex continued to work on their inventions. Many scientific concepts, terms, as well as various devices that we use in the modern world, were created by women scientists.
So, the first steps in programming belong to a lady. Lady Augusta Ada Byron (1815–1851), daughter of a famous poet, invented three programs at the age of 17 that demonstrated the analytical capabilities of a calculating machine. That was the start of programming. One of the ADA programming languages is named after her, in addition, representatives of this profession consider the birthday of this unusually smart girl, December 10, a professional holiday.
Discussing the topic "First women scientists", one cannot fail to mention Marie Curie (1867–1934), a bright representative of her time. She is the first woman to win the Nobel Prize twice and the only scientist in the world to receive it in two different fields. She and her husband Pierre Curie, with whom they had not only a family, but also a creative union, isolated the chemical element polonium. In addition, it is they who own the discovery of radioactivity, for which they received the highest award in the field of physics. The next award, already in chemistry, Marie Curie earned herself, after the death of her husband,continuing hard work and isolating pure radium.
It was her idea to use it in medicine for the treatment of scars and various tumors. When World War I broke out, she pioneered portable X-ray machines. In honor of the spouses, the chemical element curie was subsequently named, as well as the unit of measurement of radioactivity Curie.
List of great women
Hedy Lamarr (1913-2000) is one of the most beautiful women in Hollywood, and at the same time possesses undeniable intelligence and ingenuity. Being married against her will to Fritz Mandl, who was engaged in the arms business, she fled from him to America, where she began her career as an actress. During the war, she showed an interest in radio-controlled torpedoes and offered her development assistance to the National Council of Inventors. Given the attitude towards the female sex, officials did not want to deal with her. However, due to the great popularity of the actress, they could not simply refuse her. So she was asked to help the council by selling huge amounts of bonds. Headey's resourcefulness has helped her raise more than 17 million. She announced that anyone who bought bonds worth at least 25 thousand would receive a kiss from her. In 1942, she, along with composer George Antheil, invented the theory of jumping heights. This discovery was not appreciated then, but in the modern world it is used everywhere: in mobile phones, Wi-Fi 802.11 and GPS.
Barbara McClintock (1902–1992) – great scientist, the firstdiscovered the movement of genes. It was she who first described the ring chromosomes, which only many years later began to be used to explain genetic diseases. Barbara received her well-deserved Nobel Prize only 30 years later, at the age of 81. By that time, already an elderly woman - a prominent scientist - told the whole world about her research and the results.
Scientific women of Russia
The development of science in Russia is also impossible to imagine without women, who have made a huge contribution to it.
Ermolyeva Zinaida Vissarionovna (1898–1974) – an outstanding microbiologist and epidemiologist. It was she who created antibiotics - medicines without which it is impossible to imagine modern medicine. Surprisingly, in order to make her scientific discovery, a 24-year-old girl infected herself with a deadly disease - cholera. Knowing that if a cure could not be found, then her days would be numbered, she was still able to cure herself. Much later, 20 years later, during the war, this already middle-aged woman, a prominent scientist, saved the besieged Stalingrad from a cholera epidemic. Being awarded the Order of Lenin, and then the Stalin Prize, she invested all the remuneration received in the plane. Soon, a fighter jet was already flying across the sky, which bore the name of this amazing woman.
Anna Adamovna Krausskaya (1854–1941) made a huge contribution to the development of anatomy. She received the title of professor without defending a dissertation and became the first woman in Russia to be awarded such an honorary scientificstatus.
Kovalevskaya Sophia Vasilievna (1850–1891), a Russian mathematician and mechanic, also made an equally significant contribution to science.
She did a lot for these branches of science, but the main discovery is considered to be research on the rotation of a heavy asymmetric top. It is interesting that Sofya Vasilievna became the only lady at that time who received the title of professor of higher mathematics in Northern Europe. By personal example, this wise Russian woman teaches that success and knowledge do not depend on gender.
Scientific ladies of world renown
Practically every country boasts great women who have made significant changes in science.
Among the fair sex, which the whole world knows about, the name of Rachel Louise Carson (1907-1964), a biologist who closely de alt with environmental problems, sounds. In 1962, this already elderly woman, a prominent scientist, developed an essay on the impact of pesticides on agriculture, which excited the scientific world. Her book, The Silent War, led to a furious attack from the chemical industry, who spent huge sums of money to harass Rachel. It was this book that became the impetus for the creation of many social movements to protect the environment.
Charlotte Gilman (1860-1935) - one of the founders of the feminist movement in the world. Thanks to her outstanding talent as a writer, she was able to draw public attention to the oppressedstatus of women.
Unrecognized research by women scientists
Public opinion persistently degraded and exaggerated the role of women. At the same time, the scientists did not intend to stop the research, although they found many obstacles in their path. In particular, obtaining scientific titles, unlike male colleagues, was given to them with great difficulty.
Rosalind Franklin's (1920–1958) DNA research was a great success, but was never recognized in his lifetime.
Also, few people know that a representative of the weaker sex, Lise Meitner (1878–1968), was at the origins of the creation of nuclear weapons. She split the uranium nucleus and concluded that a chain reaction could create a huge energy release.
The possibility of creating the most powerful weapon in the world caused a tremendous resonance in society. However, being a staunch pacifist, Lisa stopped her research by refusing to make a bomb. The result was that her work was not recognized, and her colleague Otto Hahn received the Nobel Prize instead.
Discoveries of women scientists
It is difficult to overestimate the contribution that women scientists have made to the development of world science. At the origins of many modern theories were precisely the representatives of the weaker sex, whose names were often not made public. In addition to the above achievements, women own such discoveries as:
- first comet - Maria Mitchell (1847);
- common evolutionary roots of humans and apes - Jane Goodall (1964);
- periscope – Sara Meter (1845g.);
- muffler for a car - El Dolores Jones (1917);
- dishwasher - Josephine Haris Cochrane (1914);
- typo proofreader - Betty Graham (1956), and many others.
Contribution to world science
It is unthinkable to imagine science and its development of the craziest representatives of the weaker sex who promoted it at all stages of human development. The world's women scientists have contributed to industries such as:
- physics;
- chemistry;
- medicine;
- philosophy;
- literature.
Unfortunately, the names of all the ladies who worked for the benefit of humanity have not come down to us, however, we can say with confidence that their work is worthy of respect.
Attitude towards women scientists in the modern world
Thanks to the fairer sex, who over and over again proved their right to engage in science, modern society has finally recognized gender equality. Today, men and women work side by side, continuing to work on the development of mankind. Getting a degree or an award for women is no longer impossible, but the path to such an attitude has been long and difficult.
The smartest women of the 20th century
Famous female scientists are still working today.
Lina Solomonovna Shtern, a biochemist and physiologist, became the first woman admitted to the USSR Academy of Sciences.
Skorokhodova Olga Ivanovna is a middle-aged woman, a prominent scientist. The essay on the features of the deaf-blind is still cited in scientific circles. A talented defectologist, the only one in the worlddeaf-mute female scientist.
Dobiash-Rozhdestvenskaya Olga Antonovna, Russian and Soviet historian and writer, who became a corresponding member of the USSR Academy of Sciences.
Ladygina-Kots Nadezhda Nikolaevna is the first animal psychologist in Russia.
Pavlova Maria Vasilievna, the first paleontologist.
Glagoleva-Arkadyeva Alexandra Andreevna, physicist. This lady gained worldwide fame and became a doctor of physical and mathematical sciences.
Lebedeva Olga Sergeevna, translator and linguist, who founded the Society of Oriental Studies, of which she became the honorary chairman in the future.
Lermontova Julia Vsevolodovna, who fully justified her famous name, however, in a different area. She was the first female chemist to receive a Ph. D.
Klado Tatyana Nikolaevna is the first female aerologist both in Russia and in the world.
Being the first in their field, they set a worthy example for many. Both the Fatherland and world science are rightfully proud of these women, appreciating the contribution they made.
Conclusion
Despite the challenges, women scientists have worked hard to prove their right to equality. And the movement of progress that they made possible cannot be overestimated. These smartest women immortalized their names in perfect discoveries, becoming an example of perseverance and courage.
