Contributions of 20th Century Women to Physics

March 8, 2007 2:47 PM

Contributions of 20th Century Women to Physics
posted by chrismear (21 comments total)

A couple of selections from the 83 scientists profiled, and the large selection of papers and articles available:

• Agnes Pockels (did early work on surface tension)
• Inge Lehmann (discoverer of the earth's inner core)
• Emmy Noether (uncovered the link between symmetry laws and conservation laws (English translation))
• Lise Meitner (helped discover and named the process of nuclear fission)

posted by chrismear at 2:48 PM on March 8, 2007 [1 favorite]

thank you! perfect for today - international women's day.
posted by infini at 2:56 PM on March 8, 2007

Double. Only jokin'. Good post.
posted by lalochezia at 3:25 PM on March 8, 2007

Fascinating. Wonderful. Brilliant post.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 3:27 PM on March 8, 2007

This dry academic article is worthless without pics.
posted by fire&wings at 3:34 PM on March 8, 2007

First three quarters of a century.
posted by delmoi at 3:44 PM on March 8, 2007

I expect there would be plenty of work on theoretical parallel universes where totally different laws apply than in this one.
posted by UbuRoivas at 3:53 PM on March 8, 2007

Very nice - thanks.
posted by LobsterMitten at 3:58 PM on March 8, 2007

Yay for female scientists!
posted by Green Eyed Monster at 4:47 PM on March 8, 2007

Q: Know why women have no brains?

A: No dick to put them in.

My favorite back-fire joke.
posted by Mental Wimp at 5:29 PM on March 8, 2007

And woman be shopping!
posted by davy at 6:13 PM on March 8, 2007

I don't understand. I'm looking at women's faces an there's a distinct lack of hot or not interface.

WTF.
posted by Alex404 at 7:51 PM on March 8, 2007

ha ha ha points to everyone!
posted by infini at 8:01 PM on March 8, 2007

... and in contributions to immunology, I present Polly Matzinger .
posted by porpoise at 8:22 PM on March 8, 2007

Emmy Noether's theorem is a top candidate for one of the most beautiful things in all of physics.

It is central to modern physics. Heisenberg's Uncertainty relations are just the quantum version of Noether's relations. It is so central to how our Universe works it should be taught in high school.

Einstein admired her and i think he was a bit of a misogynist...
posted by vacapinta at 8:43 PM on March 8, 2007 [2 favorites]

thank you for pointing out that particular theorem, vacapinta, I do appreciate being able to understand what it means now.
posted by infini at 9:36 PM on March 8, 2007

It is named after the early 20th century mathematician Emmy Noether.

Wow, she must have been a pretty good lay, for the guy who came up with the theorem to dedicate it to her, not to mention whoever founded the Emmy Awards doing likewise.
posted by UbuRoivas at 9:47 PM on March 8, 2007

Fantastic.

"Where are all the women scientists, poets, composers?" people used to ask. And now it's clear for all to see: ready and waiting for a chance. And we're all richer for it.

One of the best things that's happened in my lifetime: the silencing of windbag SOB's confidently intoning "A woman's place is ...."


posted by Twang at 11:02 PM on March 8, 2007

There was a notable physicist named Emmy Noether who lived in the early 19th - late 20th century?

Wouldn't it've been one of the coolest things in the universe, if she had been the one to demonstrate that there is, you know, no ether?
posted by Anything at 4:30 AM on March 9, 2007

Um, I got my earlies and lates confused.
posted by Anything at 4:32 AM on March 9, 2007

Thanks for the link.

Most people think there are no women in physics.
But in reality are a lot women working here and having fun with it.
posted by anni at 2:38 PM on March 9, 2007