Einmischung unerwünscht

The authors portray the captivating life paths of persistent and dedicated female researchers from around the world in 14 profiles – from the very first moment of their scientific work to the moment of great discoveries and inventions. They all shared one thing in common: they were only able to pursue science in a male-dominated world by overcoming significant obstacles. Often, they were ignored, silenced, and even robbed of their contributions. Among them are:

Jocelyn Bell Burnell: A British radio astronomer who discovered an unknown type of star in the universe. Her doctoral advisor received the Nobel Prize for this work, while she was left empty-handed.

Hedy Lamarr: A Hollywood actress associated with various inventions – including a torpedo guidance system for the US Navy during World War II and the invention of Wi-Fi. She never received true recognition from the scientific community.

Janaki Ammal: An Indian botanical pioneer who laid the foundation for a successful Indian sugarcane industry with the varieties she cultivated and was a passionate advocate for tropical plant diversity. She did not receive the appreciation she deserved during her lifetime.

Chien-Shiung Wu: A Chinese-American physicist who was involved in the Manhattan Project to build the atomic bomb until 1944 and was overlooked for the Nobel Prize despite her numerous discoveries.

Lady Mary Wortley Montagu: An English writer who witnessed the first smallpox vaccinations in Constantinople in the 18th century and introduced this method in England against much resistance.