{"id":549,"date":"2023-03-03T20:21:57","date_gmt":"2023-03-03T20:21:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/welter-museum.org\/?p=549"},"modified":"2023-09-24T04:29:24","modified_gmt":"2023-09-24T04:29:24","slug":"womens-history-month-female-natural-scientists-and-their-impacts-throughout-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/welter-museum.org\/index.php\/2023\/03\/03\/womens-history-month-female-natural-scientists-and-their-impacts-throughout-history\/","title":{"rendered":"Women’s History Month: Female Natural Scientists and Their Impacts Throughout History"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Science has been exclusionary to women for a long time, but these women pushed past the extra challenges and made amazing impacts on the many fields of natural science. <\/p>\n\n\n\n


Queen Hatshepsut (1479\u2013 1458 BC)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of only two known female monarchs of Eqypt, Queen Hatshepsut was an early botanist who made the first recorded expedition for live, foreign plants!1<\/sup> To try and establish Egypt’s own supply of frankincense and myrrh for resin making, she ordered an expedition to bring back live trees.2 <\/sup> Her journey was successful and she planted these trees on her temple grounds, creating one of the first-ever botanical gardens!2<\/sup> Her interest in plants may have inspired other Pharaohs to import live plants for resources and botanical gardens.2<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Head from a statue representing Queen Hatshepsut.3<\/sup> <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Painting from Hatshepsut\u2019s temple showing men carrying trees to a ship.4<\/sup><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Hildegard of Bingen (1098\u20131179)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hildegard of Bingen was a true renaissance woman: a nun, saint, founder of a convent, creator of her own language, and a medical genius of her time.5<\/sup> Hildgard authored many books during her life, including a collection of 9 informational texts titled Physica<\/em>, which outlined almost 1,000 plant and animal species.6<\/sup> Along with a plethora of behavioral, physical, and geographical characteristics of these species, she also details their medicinal properties, especially focused on women\u2019s health.6<\/sup> This amazing woman is often considered the founder of scientific natural history in Germany!6<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Stained glass depiction of Hildegard of Bingen in the St. Foy Church in France.7<\/sup><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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An English translation of Hildegard of Bingen\u2019s Physica.<\/em>8<\/sup><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Maria Sibylla Merian (1647- 1717)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maria Sibylla Merian was a German entomologist and naturalist who cataloged moths, butterflies, and other insects in her scientific illustrations.9<\/sup> She was inspired by other scientists at the time and their dried specimens but felt it would be more valuable to study them live and in their natural habitats.9<\/sup> So, she began to collect and raise insects for observation.9<\/sup> Using the knowledge she collected, Maria published many illustrated books on both insects and plants!9<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A page from one of Maria Sibylla Merian\u2019s books, \u201cDissertation in Insect Genesis and Metamorphosis in Surinam\u201d.9<\/sup><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Another illustrated page from \u201cDissertation in Insect Genesis and Metamorphosis in Surinam\u201d.9<\/sup><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Mary Anning (1799 \u20131847)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Women in sciences have often been ignored and uncredited for their works, and Mary Anning is no exception. As a child, she taught herself geology and anatomy by reading, a skill that was rare for women a the time.10<\/sup> Around 1811, she discovered the very first Ichthyosaur fossil, and in 1823, she discovered the first complete Plesiosaurus fossil!10<\/sup> Throughout her scientific career, she made many more amazing fossil discoveries and pioneered the field of studying fossilized feces- coprolites.10<\/sup> Unfortunately, her work at the time was met with a lot of criticism and much of her work was not credited until very recently.10<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Portrait of Mary Anning by an unknown artist.10<\/sup><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Sketch from Mary Anning\u2019s discovery of the first plesiosaur.10<\/sup><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Beatrix Potter (1866-1943)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although she is best known for her work as a children\u2019s author and illustrator, with books such as The Tale of Peter Rabbit, <\/em>Beatrix Potter was also a naturalist and mycologist!11<\/sup> She studied and documented fungi species, even posing theories about spore germination.11<\/sup> Throughout her lifetime, Beatrix Potter produced over 350 fungi and spore drawings.11<\/sup> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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An illustration from Beatrix Potter of Flammulina velutipes<\/em>.11<\/sup>
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Janaki Ammal (1897- 1984)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Janaki Ammal was India\u2019s first female botanist as well as a cytologist, environmentalist, and conservation activist.12 <\/sup>She specialized in creating hybrid plants, especially focused on sugarcane hybrids.12<\/sup> In fact, her sugarcane hybrids are still used today!12 <\/sup>She also made significant contributions to the study of chromosomes in plants.12<\/sup> Later in her career, Ammal documented and obtained specimens of native plants across India and prioritized the preservation of Indigenous knowledge and hiring Indian botanists.12<\/sup> Her activism spearheaded movements across India that protected land, biodiversity, and culture.12<\/sup> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A picture of Janaki Ammal from 1938.13<\/sup><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Rachel Carson (1907 -1964)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marine biologist, environmentalist, and conservationist, Rachel Carson is often considered the \u201cmother of the modern American environmentalist movement\u201d.14<\/sup> Carson authored Silent Spring<\/em>, a book documenting the negative effects of excessive pesticide use and urging changes in the way we look at the world.14<\/sup> Her documentation of the long-term changes in wildlife helped show people that we need to examine things as a whole and look at the effects of our actions.14<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Picture of Rachel Carson.14<\/sup><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Wangar\u0129 Maathai (1940- 2011)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2004 Nobel Peace Prize winner, Wangar\u0129 Maathai, was an incredible activist and biologist.15<\/sup> The first woman in East and Central Africa to earn her doctorate, Maathai used her intensive biological knowledge to found The Green Belt Movement, a campaign designed to improve the lives of women in Kenya while simultaneously helping the environment by planting trees.15<\/sup> This movement helped to plant over 20 million trees and inspired similar movements across Africa.15<\/sup> Her other work included being active in the National Council of Women of Kenya, and she was even the chairman of the council for 6 years.15<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo of Wangar\u0129 Maathai.15<\/sup><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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References<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Janick, Jules. \u201cPlant Exploration: From Queen Hatshepsut to Sir Joseph Banks.\u201d HortScience, vol. 42, no. 2, Apr. 2007, pp. 191\u2013196, https:\/\/doi.org\/10.21273\/hortsci.42.2.191<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Trust, The Gardens. \u201cHatshepsut and Thutmosis.\u201d The Gardens Trust, 1 Feb. 2020, thegardenstrust.blog\/2020\/02\/01\/hatshepsut-and-thutmosis\/.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Metmuseum.org, 2021, www.metmuseum.org\/art\/collection\/search\/547553<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. \u201cThe King Herself.\u201d Magazine, 1 Apr. 2009, www.nationalgeographic.com\/magazine\/article\/hatshepsut-1?loggedin=true&rnd=1677853292183. Accessed 3 Mar. 2023.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. \u201cSaint Hildegard | Biography, Visions, Works, & Facts.\u201d Encyclop\u00e6dia Britannica, 2019, www.britannica.com\/biography\/Saint-Hildegard<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  6. Maddocks, Fiona. Hildegard of Bingen: The Woman of Her Age<\/em>. Faber & Faber, 2 July 2013. Pages 146-155.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  7. Mark, Joshua. \u201cHildegard of Bingen.\u201d World History Encyclopedia, 30 May 2019, www.worldhistory.org\/Hildegard_of_Bingen\/<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  8. https:\/\/bookshop.org\/p\/books\/hildegard-von-bingen-s-physica-the-complete-english-translation-of-her-classic-work-on-health-and-healing-priscilla-throop\/9088309?ean=9780892816613<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  9. \u201cMaria Sibylla Merian | Artist Profile.\u201d NMWA, nmwa.org\/art\/artists\/maria-sibylla-merian\/.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  10.  Eylott, Marie-Claire. \u201cMary Anning: The Unsung Hero of Fossil Discovery.\u201d Nhm.ac.uk, 2018, www.nhm.ac.uk\/discover\/mary-anning-unsung-hero.html<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  11. \u201cBeatrix Potter (1866\u20131943).\u201d The Linnean Society, www.linnean.org\/the-society\/history-of-science\/beatrix-potter-the-tale-of-the-linnean-society<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  12.  McNeill, Leila. \u201cThe Pioneering Female Botanist Who Sweetened a Nation and Saved a Valley.\u201d Smithsonian Magazine, 31 July 2019, www.smithsonianmag.com\/science-nature\/pioneering-female-botanist-who-sweetened-nation-and-saved-valley-180972765\/<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  13.  \u201cDr. Janaki Ammal India\u2019s First Female Botanist, Helped Preserve Biodiversity.\u201d AWIS, 6 May 2021, awis.org\/historical-women\/dr-janaki-ammal\/.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  14.  \u201cRemembering Rachel Carson, Environmental Pioneer | the Franklin Institute.\u201d Www.fi.edu, www.fi.edu\/en\/blog\/remembering-rachel-carson-environmental-pioneer. Accessed 3 Mar. 2023.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  15.  The Nobel Prize. \u201cThe Nobel Peace Prize 2004.\u201d NobelPrize.org, 2011, www.nobelprize.org\/prizes\/peace\/2004\/maathai\/biographical\/<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  16. Cstraight Media – http:\/\/www.cstraight.com. \u201cWangari Maathai | the Green Belt Movement.\u201d Greenbeltmovement.org, 2011, www.greenbeltmovement.org\/wangari-maathai.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Sources used to compile list:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \u201cInspiring Female Naturalists and Environmentalists through History.\u201d Discover Wildlife, www.discoverwildlife.com\/people\/female-naturalists-and-environmentalists\/. Accessed 3 Mar. 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \u201cMeet 13 Women Making Waves in Conservation | Stories | WWF.\u201d World Wildlife Fund, www.worldwildlife.org\/stories\/meet-13-women-making-waves-in-conservation. Accessed 3 Mar. 2023.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Science has been exclusionary to women for a long time, but these women pushed past the extra challenges and made … Continue reading >Women’s History Month: Female Natural Scientists and Their Impacts Throughout History<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":734,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[8,9,10],"class_list":["post-549","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog-posts","tag-exhibit","tag-march","tag-womens-history"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/welter-museum.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/549","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/welter-museum.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/welter-museum.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/welter-museum.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/welter-museum.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=549"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/welter-museum.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/549\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":735,"href":"https:\/\/welter-museum.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/549\/revisions\/735"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/welter-museum.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/734"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/welter-museum.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=549"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/welter-museum.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=549"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/welter-museum.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=549"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}