Code Girls written by Alan R. In the years leading up to and during World War II, increasing usage of radio and telegraphic transmissions to send secret communications necessitated the need for ciphers to disseminate sensitive information, such as military planning and operations. As the ability of one force to crack the enemy’s codes […]
The Countess of Lovelace The Hallowed Halls of Woman Crush Wednesday today garner a new occupant, in the form of one of history’s intriguing confluences of art and science. Few genealogies intersect in a more intriguing way than that of Ada Lovelace, an English mathematician revered by computer programmers. Born on 10 December 1815 in
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Elle Capitan I have been all over the world and have had the fortune of doing things with many special people, some famous, some anonymous. But the biggest little hero I’ve ever known is Lynn Hill. The rest of us are just holding her rope. — John Long As the endeavors of sport climbing and big
Mustang Sally On 26 May 1951, in the Encino neighborhood of Los Angeles, a political science professor and a counselor welcomed a daughter to their family. Dale and Carol likely had high hopes for their child, but they probably had no idea they had just birthed the most fittingly-named astronautic superstar in history: Sally Ride. Despite
The Relativity Engine “Oh, no! I was wondering who the third one might be!” –Arthur Eddington Amalie Noether, born 23 March 1882 in Erlangen, Germany, was named for her mother and grandmother, but soon insisted on adopting her middle name for everyday usage. Max Noether, Emmy’s father, was an esteemed mathematician, sometimes credited as one
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Amelia, Queen of the Sky Have you flown far? “From America,” she answered. — Dan McCallon, Irish farmhand On 24 July 1897, in Atchison, Kansas, Amelia and Samuel Earhart gave birth to a child who bore her mother and grandmother’s name. Nicknamed “Meeley,” her mother did not believe in raising “nice little girls,” so
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Keep On Your Quest “I was stamped as a weak child.” On 22 September 1939, Junko Tabei docked planet Earth at Miharu in Japan. The adults in her life considered her “frail. ” As an adult, she grew to the unimposing height of 4’9″. Yet at the age of 10, she ascended two mountains in
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The Chaulmoogra Wizard On 24 July 1892, in Seattle, Alice Augusta Ball arrived on planet Earth. The daughter and granddaughter of photographers, the Ball family probably never imagined Alice might one day develop into a world-renowned chemist, though their usage of photographic chemicals might have captured her attention. At the age of 11, the Ball family
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Thank You for Being a Friend One of the enduring modern jokes revolves around the continued existence of Keith Richards, the enigmatic and hard-living guitarist of the Rolling Stones. The dude looks like he’s 125 years old, thanks to a lifetime of drugs and rock music. Yet he soldiers on, seemingly an eternal. Believe it
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The Unsilent Spring The sedge is wither’d from the lake, And no birds sing. – John Keats, “La Belle Dame sans Merci” My absorption in the mystery and meaning of the sea have been stimulated and the writing of this book aided by the friendship and encouragement of William Beebe. – Rachel Carson, dedication in
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