The Inventors at No. 8

My favorite book when I was a kid was an abridged biography of Nobel Prize winner Marie Curie. I read it over and over, enthralled by Marie’s story. She fought to get an education, and then she fought to be recognized as a scientist. Her research on radioactive elements saved lives and changed the world. Because many women paved […]

But what other word is there that could replace “scientist?” Before 1833, the other options were “natural philosopher” or “man of science.” Ultimately, the word “scientist” was chosen because it was gender-neutral, and even though female scientists were far outnumbered by male scientists in the 1800s, women like Mary Somerville and Ada Lovelace were making […]