Awesome Stuff Women Did

Because women have done more in the past 10,000 years than just pop out babies and make sandwiches.

DISCLAIMER: We make no claim that all women featured here are saints. They did awesome stuff; the women themselves might not have been. Keep that in mind before sending angry notes.

invented the 80’s computer the BBC Micro, and designed the instruction set for ARM microprocessors that power most mobile phones, tablets, and embedded computer systems. (Sophie Wilson)

invented the 80’s computer the BBC Micro, and designed the instruction set for ARM microprocessors that power most mobile phones, tablets, and embedded computer systems. (Sophie Wilson)

Graduated from the University of Southern California with a B.S. in Astronomy in 1974 and did graduate work in Computer Science at USC. Before receiving her Astronomy degree, she joined Jet Propulsion Laboratory for temporary summer employment, and accepted a position after receiving her degree in the Outer Planet Satellite Ephemeris Development Group at Jet Propulsion Laboratory as a senior engineer (1974–1981). In March 1979, she discovered the anomalous “crescent” off the limb of Jupiter’s moon Io in a picture of Io taken by Voyager 1 for navigation, after the Voyager 1 close encounter with Jupiter. She proposed a series of hypotheses and conducted investigations to prove or disprove them, to identify the “crescent”. She was able to deduce that the observation was a plume erupting from the surface of Io, and volcanic in origin. Her discovery was announced to the world on March 12, 1979.  This was the first non-Earth volcanic eruption ever witnessed and the first proof that other bodies in our solar system are geologically active.  Her discovery of active geology on other worlds is heralded as one of the most important discoveries of the planetary exploration program. (Linda A. Morabito)

Graduated from the University of Southern California with a B.S. in Astronomy in 1974 and did graduate work in Computer Science at USC. Before receiving her Astronomy degree, she joined Jet Propulsion Laboratory for temporary summer employment, and accepted a position after receiving her degree in the Outer Planet Satellite Ephemeris Development Group at Jet Propulsion Laboratory as a senior engineer (1974–1981). In March 1979, she discovered the anomalous “crescent” off the limb of Jupiter’s moon Io in a picture of Io taken by Voyager 1 for navigation, after the Voyager 1 close encounter with Jupiter. She proposed a series of hypotheses and conducted investigations to prove or disprove them, to identify the “crescent”. She was able to deduce that the observation was a plume erupting from the surface of Io, and volcanic in origin. Her discovery was announced to the world on March 12, 1979.  This was the first non-Earth volcanic eruption ever witnessed and the first proof that other bodies in our solar system are geologically active.  Her discovery of active geology on other worlds is heralded as one of the most important discoveries of the planetary exploration program. (Linda A. Morabito)

Disobeyed a bus driver’s orders to give up her seat for a white man. Was sequentially arrested and fined for violating a city ordinance, Leading to the Montgomery Bus Boycott and became a symbol of the Civil Rights Movement.  A long time Civil Rights activist, she also fought for justice for black victims of rape perpetrated by white men, which were almost always ignored by the police and justice system.  After her death at 92, her casket was placed in the rotunda of the United States Capitol for two days, so the nation could pay its respects, an honor usually reserved for Presidents of the United States. (Rosa Parks)

Disobeyed a bus driver’s orders to give up her seat for a white man. Was sequentially arrested and fined for violating a city ordinance, Leading to the Montgomery Bus Boycott and became a symbol of the Civil Rights Movement.  A long time Civil Rights activist, she also fought for justice for black victims of rape perpetrated by white men, which were almost always ignored by the police and justice system.  After her death at 92, her casket was placed in the rotunda of the United States Capitol for two days, so the nation could pay its respects, an honor usually reserved for Presidents of the United States. (Rosa Parks)

Spied for the revolution during the Spanish Reconquista of New Granada (modern-day Colombia) by offering her services as a seamstress to wives and daughters of Royalist families, while overhearing conversations, collecting maps and intelligence, identifying the major Royalists, finding out who was suspected of being a revolutionary, and recruiting young men to the insurgent army. Eventually arrested for espionage and treason and sentenced to death by firing squad. While imprisoned, cursed the Spaniards relentlessly and predicted their defeat instead of repeating the prayers of the priests. It is said that when she paused, tired and thirsty, a guard offered her a glass of wine and she threw it back in his face, saying “I would not accept even a glass of water from my enemies!” As she was led to her death, she continued to berate her captors and gave her fellow prisoners heart. Ascending the scaffolding in Bolívar Square, she was told to turn her back, as that is how traitors were killed. However, she refused to kneel before the Spanish firing squad, and yelled “I have more than enough courage to suffer this death and a thousand more! Do not forget my example.” Considered the most significant woman of the Revolution, with a holiday - Day of the Colombian Woman - in her honor on the anniversary of her death. The only historical female personality ever depicted on Colombian currency. (Policarpa Salavarrieta, “La Pola”)

Spied for the revolution during the Spanish Reconquista of New Granada (modern-day Colombia) by offering her services as a seamstress to wives and daughters of Royalist families, while overhearing conversations, collecting maps and intelligence, identifying the major Royalists, finding out who was suspected of being a revolutionary, and recruiting young men to the insurgent army. Eventually arrested for espionage and treason and sentenced to death by firing squad. While imprisoned, cursed the Spaniards relentlessly and predicted their defeat instead of repeating the prayers of the priests. It is said that when she paused, tired and thirsty, a guard offered her a glass of wine and she threw it back in his face, saying “I would not accept even a glass of water from my enemies!”

As she was led to her death, she continued to berate her captors and gave her fellow prisoners heart. Ascending the scaffolding in Bolívar Square, she was told to turn her back, as that is how traitors were killed. However, she refused to kneel before the Spanish firing squad, and yelled “I have more than enough courage to suffer this death and a thousand more! Do not forget my example.” Considered the most significant woman of the Revolution, with a holiday - Day of the Colombian Woman - in her honor on the anniversary of her death. The only historical female personality ever depicted on Colombian currency. (Policarpa Salavarrieta, “La Pola”)

Left her poor, Irish family to marry a pirate. Left that guy to marry a pirate captain. Had a baby but gave it up to stay a pirate. Fought bravely as part of a crew with her friend (and lesbian lover?) Mary Read against the British Navy. Eventually they were defeated but both women avoided hanging by claiming to be pregnant. (Anne Bonny)

Left her poor, Irish family to marry a pirate. Left that guy to marry a pirate captain. Had a baby but gave it up to stay a pirate. Fought bravely as part of a crew with her friend (and lesbian lover?) Mary Read against the British Navy. Eventually they were defeated but both women avoided hanging by claiming to be pregnant. (Anne Bonny)

Feigned insanity as a disguise to secretly build and operate an extensive spy ring for the Union during the American Civil War. Defying her well-bred white Richmond society as well as civil and military authorities, she freed her family’s slaves and then got one former slave, Mary Bowser, hired as a house servant for Confederate President Jefferson Davis. Like her former employer, Mary also feigned a dim-witted, slightly crazy demeanor, allowing her to listen in on conversations and read documents that were left out. Managed and organized many people in the greater Richmond area - farmers, storekeepers, factory workers, slaves, servants, laundresses. These people received Union agents and escaped soldiers, prisoners, and slaves, and they passed along messages. One friend, a seamstress, stitched messages into her patterns. Despite Confederate guards handling the materials, they never discovered the messages. Motto: “Keep your mouth shut, your eyes and ears open.” (Elizabeth Van Lew)

Feigned insanity as a disguise to secretly build and operate an extensive spy ring for the Union during the American Civil War. Defying her well-bred white Richmond society as well as civil and military authorities, she freed her family’s slaves and then got one former slave, Mary Bowser, hired as a house servant for Confederate President Jefferson Davis. Like her former employer, Mary also feigned a dim-witted, slightly crazy demeanor, allowing her to listen in on conversations and read documents that were left out.

Managed and organized many people in the greater Richmond area - farmers, storekeepers, factory workers, slaves, servants, laundresses. These people received Union agents and escaped soldiers, prisoners, and slaves, and they passed along messages. One friend, a seamstress, stitched messages into her patterns. Despite Confederate guards handling the materials, they never discovered the messages. Motto: “Keep your mouth shut, your eyes and ears open.” (Elizabeth Van Lew)

Founded Children’s Orthopedic Hospital in 1907 which is now known as Seattle Children’s Hospital in Seattle, Washington. Currently ranked as one of the top 10 children’s hospitals in the country by U.S. News & World Report, Seattle Children’s serves as the pediatric referral center for Washington, Alaska, Montana and Idaho. [Anna Herr Clise]

Founded Children’s Orthopedic Hospital in 1907 which is now known as Seattle Children’s Hospital in Seattle, Washington. Currently ranked as one of the top 10 children’s hospitals in the country by U.S. News & World Report, Seattle Children’s serves as the pediatric referral center for Washington, Alaska, Montana and Idaho. [Anna Herr Clise]

Launched the Oxford Survey of Childhood Cancers in the 1950s, which demonstrated conclusively the link between prenatal X-rays and childhood leukaemia, although its results were resisted by the scientific establishment for decades. Studied cancer rates among workers at nuclear power plants and discovered that the risks due to radiation were far greater than previous studies had suggested. In 1986, at the age of 80, was awarded the Right Livelihood Award (the “alternative Nobel Prize”) and received a grant of $1.4 million to study the effects of low-dose radiation (the grant was raised by activists from a fine imposed on the Three Mile Island nuclear facility, not by any government; it took six years of legal struggle for the US government to release the records needed to complete the study). In 1992, was awarded the Ramazzini Prize for epidemiology. Continued publishing scientific papers into her 90s, publishing over 400 in her lifetime. (Alice Stewart) [Essentially, every time your doctor drapes you in a lead apron before taking an X-ray, or refuses to take an X-ray on a woman who might be pregnant, or is cautious about taking X-rays too often? That’s thanks to Alice Stewart.]

Launched the Oxford Survey of Childhood Cancers in the 1950s, which demonstrated conclusively the link between prenatal X-rays and childhood leukaemia, although its results were resisted by the scientific establishment for decades. Studied cancer rates among workers at nuclear power plants and discovered that the risks due to radiation were far greater than previous studies had suggested. In 1986, at the age of 80, was awarded the Right Livelihood Award (the “alternative Nobel Prize”) and received a grant of $1.4 million to study the effects of low-dose radiation (the grant was raised by activists from a fine imposed on the Three Mile Island nuclear facility, not by any government; it took six years of legal struggle for the US government to release the records needed to complete the study). In 1992, was awarded the Ramazzini Prize for epidemiology. Continued publishing scientific papers into her 90s, publishing over 400 in her lifetime. (Alice Stewart)

[Essentially, every time your doctor drapes you in a lead apron before taking an X-ray, or refuses to take an X-ray on a woman who might be pregnant, or is cautious about taking X-rays too often? That’s thanks to Alice Stewart.]

Led the first successful first resistance movement against the occupying Chinese after 247 years of domination. Repelled the Chinese from Vietnam in AD 39. Ruled as joint queens and resisted attacks by the more powerful and numerous Chinese throughout their short reign. Most of their generals were female, including their mother and Phung Thi Chinh, who gave birth on the battlefield. Committed suicide rather than surrender and become prisoners. Became and remain national heroes of Vietnam. (The Trung Sisters: Trung Trac and Trung Nhi)

Led the first successful first resistance movement against the occupying Chinese after 247 years of domination. Repelled the Chinese from Vietnam in AD 39. Ruled as joint queens and resisted attacks by the more powerful and numerous Chinese throughout their short reign. Most of their generals were female, including their mother and Phung Thi Chinh, who gave birth on the battlefield. Committed suicide rather than surrender and become prisoners. Became and remain national heroes of Vietnam. (The Trung Sisters: Trung Trac and Trung Nhi)

Addendum to Èmilie du Châtelet

starsandspice:

awesomeshitwomendid:

Translated and wrote commentary on Sir Isaac Newton’s work, Principia Mathematica. Her translation, published posthumously in 1759, is still considered the French standard by which all others are measured.  She also published several papers throughout her lifetime, including one describing her research on fire, in which she correctly predicted what would later be described as infrared radiation.  And some modern biographers report having seen in her notebooks a derivative of the equation made famous by Einstein: E = MC2. A crater on Venus was named in her honor.  Her longtime lover, the philosopher and poet Voltaire, wrote to the King of Prussia that she “was a great man whose only fault was being a woman.” (Èmilie du Châtelet)

Now, I love Emilie du Chatelet.  I read all about her after I went to see the play Legacy of Light in Boston last year.  (Really enjoyable play, btw.)  But let’s not get carried away. What Ms. du Chatelet did was discover that kinetic energy goes as velocity squared (K = mv2).  The common thought at the time was that kinetic energy is linear with velocity (K = mv), so her discovery and well-thought out experiments were significant - but that does not mean that she discovered relativity!  

The confusion here comes about because the equation that everyone knows, E = mc2, is not the full equation.  There’s actually a second term that deals with momentum, the energy of a moving object.  It’s not surprising that a moving object has energy, right?  If I throw a ball at a window, it’ll transfer some of its energy and break the window.  But what if an object is at rest?  If the ball rolls to a stop at your feet, does it still have energy?  It turns out it does!  (Although only a very small amount.)  That “rest energy” is given by E = mc2.  That idea, among many others, is what made Einstein famous. 

So let’s give Ms. du Chatelet credit where credit is due without making up anything extra - she did some amazing work. She studied the nature of fire, light, and color, as well as magnetism, elasticity, and resistance, making significant insights with ingenious experiments.  Her name ought to be the next mentioned after Newton’s in intro. physics classes.  Given the resources she had available to her, I find it amazing that she refused to simply be one of the wealthy society, with nice dresses, fabulous hairdos, and empty conversation, and instead bucked the societal norm to pursue science.  

Thanks for this!  I love that this is getting people talking and sharing their knowledge!

(Source: awesomestuffwomendid)