Breakthrough Women in Science Who Changed the World

Barbara McClintock’s research on maize showed that genes can move within chromosomes, a discovery initially dismissed but later recognized with the 1983 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, revolutionizing genetics.

Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin’s 1925 doctoral work at Harvard contradicted prevailing theories, establishing that stars are mostly hydrogen and helium. Her findings laid the groundwork for modern astrophysics.

Tu Youyou developed artemisinin from traditional Chinese medicine, leading to effective malaria treatments. She won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2015, China’s first Nobel in science.

Lise Meitner’s work with Otto Hahn led to the discovery of nuclear fission in 1938, foundational to nuclear energy and atomic bombs. Excluded from the Nobel, she was later honored with the element meitnerium (atomic number 109).

Jane Goodall’s fieldwork in Tanzania showed that chimpanzees create and use tools, a trait once thought unique to humans. Her advocacy for conservation and animal welfare has inspired generations.

Rosalind Franklin’s precise X-ray work at King’s College London provided critical evidence of DNA’s helical structure. Her colleague shared her data without permission, leading to Watson and Crick’s Nobel Prize, though Franklin’s role is now widely acknowledged.

Dorothy Hodgkin’s work in X-ray crystallography revealed the atomic structures of key biomolecules, advancing medical treatments. She won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1964, the only British woman to receive a Nobel in science.

Chien-Shiung Wu, a Chinese-American physicist, conducted the 1956 Wu Experiment, proving that parity is not conserved in weak interactions. Her male colleagues received the Nobel Prize, but Wu’s contribution was critical and later honored with awards like the National Medal of Science.

Ada Lovelace, an English mathematician, wrote the first algorithm intended for a computer in the 1840s. Her notes on the Analytical Engine included visionary insights about computing beyond calculations, earning her recognition as a computing pioneer.

Marie Curie, a Polish-French physicist and chemist, won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1903 and in Chemistry in 1911, becoming the first person to win two Nobel Prizes in different sciences. Her discoveries of polonium and radium revolutionized atomic physics.