carlyo | November 12, 2012PLEASE SHARE IF YOU ARE INSPIRED
Irène Joliot-Curie -- Chemist and physicist
Shared the Nobel Prize in Chemistry with her husband Frédéric Joliot for discovering that radioactivity could be artificially produced.
You've heard of the achievements of Nobel Prize-winning scientists Marie and Pierre Curie. Now discover their brilliant scientist-daughter Irène Joliot-Curie who would also later earn the Nobel Prize based on groundbreaking research in radioactivity! Born in 1897 in Paris, Irène, always a intellectually sharp and curious child, began working as her mother’s assistant in the Radium…
carlyo | November 11, 2012(Science Question of the Day: Motivating and preparing the next generation of innovators in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) is a national mission for Shirley. Read and share her story, and then ask yourself: Am I doing all I can to prepare?)
For more than a decade, the name Shirley Ann Jackson has been synonymous with excellence in scientific achievement. Time magazine in 2005 described her as "perhaps the ultimate role model for women in science.” No doubt, she is deserving of such accolades. A noted theoretical physicist, Shirley is president of Rensselaer…
carlyo | November 9, 2012One of the most influential structural engineers of the 20th Century
You may readily recognize some his most famous works as a structural design engineer: the John Hancock Center building in Chicago; Chicago's Willis Tower (formerly the Sears Tower); the Hajj Terminal in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; and King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah. In his short lifetime, Fazlur Khan, perhaps more than any other individual, combined his love for structural engineering, architecture and art to usher in a revolution in skyscraper construction during the second half of the twentieth century, making it possible…
carlyo | November 8, 2012She’s sometimes referred to as China's Sally Ride. Liu, a fighter pilot, became China's first female astronaut to travel in space in 2012, helping China accomplish its first-ever manned space docking.
Two years after she was recruited for China's rigorous astronaut training program, 33-year-old Liu Yang, a fighter pilot in the Chinese Air Force, was selected to serve as a crew member aboard the Shenzhou 9 spacecraft, representing China's fourth manned launch. Her selection as the country's first female astronaut quickly became one of the hottest topics on China's Twitter-like microblogging…
carlyo | November 7, 2012His invention of the gas mask has saved countless lives since World War I, and his patent of the first traffic signal led to the modern-day traffic light.
Garrett Morgan, the son of former slaves, was born in Paris, Kentucky in 1877 (the seventh of 11 children). His formal education never went beyond elementary school, and he spent much of his time working on the family farm with his brothers and sisters. While still a teenager, he left Kentucky and moved north to Cincinnati, Ohio in search of opportunity. His talents later led him in 1895 to Cleveland, Ohio, where he went to work as a…
lbock | November 6, 2012His invention improved Edison’s electric light bulb, and he executed the patent drawing for Bell’s telephone. Get to know this creative genius!
With his mind frequently in motion as a child, Lewis Howard Latimer -- born in 1848 in Chelsea, Massachusetts -- loved drawing at an early age and found himself doodling no matter where he would be. Little did he know these pastimes would evolve into a career as a noted draftsman and inventor, and result in him collaborating with two of the most famous innovators of his era.
Lewis, the fourth child of George and Rebecca Latimer, was reared in Boston.…
lbock | November 5, 2012Most famous for inventing Clinistix® -- the "dip-and-read" test that for the first time allowed diabetics to monitor their blood glucose level instantly at home. Her contributions to laboratory science have even been recognized on the show, Jeopardy!
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Helen Murray Free first wanted to be an English and Latin teacher, but World War II changed all that. In December 1941 when Pearl Harbor was bombed, many young men either enlisted or were drafted into military service. Because of this, many women were encouraged to pursue careers in science to fill…
lbock | November 4, 2012PLEASE SHARE IF YOU ARE INSPIRED BY THIS STORY!
(Send Us Your Opinion Today: Have you ever been inspired to greatness in scientific invention at the age of 12 like Rachel? Let us know what you think about her achievement!)
Rachel Zimmerman undoubtedly had her teacher’s inspiring "Go for it" advice in mind when she, at the age of 12 in the mid-1980s used her love of science to develop an invention that continues to significantly help the way people with severe speaking disabilities communicate with others.
Why She's Important: While exploring possible topics for a school science fair…
lbock | November 2, 2012Molly Stevens -- Materials scientist
Internationally known for her work in nanotechnology to regenerate bone and tissue growth, and to design bioactive materials for early detection of disease
Nanotechnology (the science of manipulating matter at the atomic or molecular level, especially to build microscopic materials) has the potential to transform key areas of science and engineering. Molly Stevens, a materials scientist at the Imperial College of London (England), is using nanotechnology to push the boundaries of biotechnology through advances in bone and tissue regeneration, and…
lbock | October 31, 2012Gregorio Zara -- Filipino physicist and aeronautical engineer
Creator of the first videophone ( a forerunner of such video telecommunication applications as Skype, Webcam and videoconferencing) and discoverer of the physical law known as the "Zara Effect."
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Back in the 1950's, the videophone -- a telephone device that allows you to see the individual you are speaking with in real (or near-real) time -- was a mere dream of science fiction. But physicist and aeronautical engineer Gregorio Zara, one of the Philippines' most celebrated inventors,…
lbock | October 30, 2012Carlos Juan Finlay -- Cuban physician
He was the first to theorize that the deadly yellow fever virus was transmitted through the bite of one species of mosquito, however it would take years before his theory would be deemed correct.
We know today that yellow fever -- which is most common in Latin America and tropical areas of Africa -- is a viral infection spread to humans by infected mosquitoes. Yellow fever (the name "yellow" refers to the jaundice that affects some patients) is thought to have originated in Africa and was likely brought to the Americas on ships during the slave trade,…
lbock | October 29, 2012Ada Byron (later Countes of Lovelace) -- British mathematician
The daughter of poet Lord Byron, her key collaborations in the 1880's with British inventor Charles Babbage led to the earliest computer; she is considered the first computer programmer.
Born Augusta Ada Byron in London in 1815, Ada Byron (who would also later be known as the Countess of Lovelace) was the daughter of a brief marriage between the famous Romantic Age poet Lord Byron and Anne Isabelle Milbanke. Ada's mother (known as Lady Byron) separated from Lord Byron just a month after Ada was born. Four months later, her poet…
lbock | October 28, 2012PLEASE SHARE IF YOU ARE INSPIRED BY THIS STORY!
(Send us your opinion today: Think of the various ways you can combine your hobbies and other interests into a possible career in science! Stephanie merged her love of chemistry with her penchant for textiles and fabrics -- resulting in a life-saving invention! Tell us what you think about that!)
The next time you ride in a car, cross a suspension bridge, or wear a safety helmet or see a bullet-proof vest, think of chemist Stephanie Kwolek. Her scientific achievements are perfect examples of how chemistry plays a vital role each day in…
lbock | October 27, 2012Meat production stinks. And I’m not referring to worries about bacterial contamination. I mean it literally stinks. Here’s the story. Hold your nose.
We crave meat. To satisfy our hunger Canadian feedlots ready some three and a half million cattle for slaughter every year. And those cattle produce more than meat. A single steer can crank out up to 30 kg of manure and urine every day, and some feedlots house over 40,000 animals! That means more than a thousand tons of pee and poo have to be dealt with in some fashion every day! Obviously, all that waste creates a massive odour problem…
lbock | October 26, 2012PLEASE SHARE IF YOU ARE INSPIRED BY THIS STORY!
(Send Us Your Comment: Dan Lipinski, one of only a few engineers in Congress, is responsible for bringing nanotech advocacy to the House! What do you think of the role he’s playing?)
Born in Chicago into a political family, Congressman Dan Lipinski (who represents the 3rd District of Illinois) is the son of former U.S. Congressman Bill Lipinski. Dan replaced his father in Congress in 2005. Always fascinated with solving problems, Dan gravitated to engineering and science as a young student. "I remember in high school," he says, "my calculus…
lbock | October 25, 2012PLEASE SHARE IF YOU ARE INSPIRED BY THIS STORY!
(C'mon, Hit Us With Your Comments! -- Yvonne, a pioneer of today's GPS (Global Positioning Satellite) technology, came up with the propulsion system that helps keep communication satellites in a fixed geosynchronous orbit. Tell us what you think!)
When Yvonne Brill accepted the prestigious National Medal of Technology and Innovation award in 2011 from President Obama, it helped to further cement her place in science history as a pioneer in greatly improving space propulsion technology. Her recent presidential award -- among the highest honors…
lbock | October 24, 2012Satyendranath Bose collaborated with Einstein, and is for whom a family of subatomic particles known as "Bosons" is named
Born during British colonial rule in Calcutta (now Kolkata), India in 1894, Satyendranath Bose, even as a child, showed promise as a creative mathematical and scientific thinker. As a young student he loved experimenting with different methods to solve mathematical problems and improvising various ways to conduct science experiments. When he joined the University of Calcutta in 1916 as a researcher studying the theory of relativity, it was an especially exciting period to…
lbock | October 23, 2012Adopted when she was two weeks old, Lisa Perez Jackson grew up in the New Orleans, LA area of Pontchartrain Park with her adopted parents Benjamin Perez (a postal worker), his wife Marie and their two sons. While exploring less fortunate neighborhoods of New Orleans as an adolescent, she noticed the unsafe and polluted waterways and canals that plagued these areas caused by oil refineries and drilling. Lisa often expressed concern over the negative impact that these problems had on the surrounding environment and its residents. It was most then that she began considering a career in…
lbock | October 22, 2012His work led to the worldwide elimination of chlorofluorocarbon gases (CFCs) from aerosol cans and refrigerators. The first Mexican-born citizen to receive the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
Environmental problems pose a huge threat to Mother Earth, and it's up to scientists around the world to take a leading role in solving them, says chemist Mario José Molina. Mario is known globally among colleagues for putting these words into action. He was born in Mexico City where his father was a prominent lawyer and diplomat who went on to serve as chief Ambassador to Ethiopia, Australia and the…
lbock | October 21, 2012"Even though he is a world-renowned scientist -- including being the recipient of the prestigious National Medal of Science (the highest honor that the U.S. can bestow upon a researcher) -- Shu Chien is also known for mentoring a generation of high school, undergraduate and graduate students research, which speaks volumes about his dedication to science. He is also respected for his willingness to collaborate with colleagues across science and academic disciplines to solve research problems. Born in Beijing, China, Shu grew up in Shanghai and was a pre-med student at National Peking…