Women have always played a crucial role in many of the discoveries that shaped science
Despite the historical barriers women have faced in accessing education and scientific institutions, many female researchers have played decisive roles in discoveries that transformed our understanding of the natural world and drove technological progress. Across different periods and fields of knowledge, women scientists have contributed to breakthroughs that today form part of the foundation of modern science.
Below are six examples of discoveries and innovations associated with female researchers.
Radioactivity and the foundations of modern physics
The physicist and chemist Marie Skłodowska-Curie made some of the most important contributions to the study of radioactivity at the end of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth century. Through her research, Curie demonstrated that certain chemical elements spontaneously release energy, a phenomenon that came to be known as radioactivity.
During her experiments, she identified two new chemical elements, Polonium and Radium, which she isolated from the mineral pitchblende. These discoveries significantly expanded scientific understanding of atomic structure and the processes involved in radiation emission.
Curie’s work had lasting impacts in several fields, including nuclear physics, chemistry, and medicine. Radioactivity, for instance, later became the basis for medical technologies such as radiotherapy used in cancer treatment.
She was the first person to receive two Nobel Prizes in different scientific fields, consolidating her place as one of the most influential scientists in history. Curie was also the first woman to win a Nobel Prize and remains the only person to have won Nobel Prizes in both Physics and Chemistry.
Pulsars and the study of neutron stars
In 1967, while pursuing her PhD at the University of Cambridge, the astrophysicist Jocelyn Bell Burnell identified an unusual signal in data collected by a radio telescope. The radio emissions appeared at extremely regular intervals, a pattern that initially puzzled researchers.
After further investigation, scientists concluded that the phenomenon corresponded to a new type of astronomical object known as pulsars. These celestial bodies are extremely dense neutron stars that rotate rapidly and emit beams of electromagnetic radiation from their magnetic poles.
When these beams point toward Earth during the star’s rotation, telescopes detect regular pulses of radiation, like a cosmic lighthouse. The discovery of pulsars significantly advanced astrophysics, allowing scientists to study stellar evolution, gravity under extreme conditions, and even test predictions of theoretical physics.
It is worth noting that although Bell Burnell first identified the signal, the 1974 Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to her supervisor, Antony Hewish. This episode is frequently cited as one of the most notable controversies in the history of the Nobel Prize.
The structure of DNA
Understanding the structure of DNA marked a turning point in the history of molecular biology. In this process, the British chemist and crystallographer Rosalind Franklin played a fundamental role by using X-ray diffraction techniques to study molecular structures.
One of her most famous images, known as “Photo 51”, revealed patterns that clearly indicated the helical shape of DNA. These findings provided crucial evidence for the development of the double-helix model, which explains how genetic information is stored and transmitted.
The discovery of DNA’s structure transformed genetics. It made it possible to understand mechanisms of heredity, mutation, and cellular replication, paving the way for fields such as genetic engineering, biotechnology, and molecular medicine.
Programming languages and modern computing
In the field of computer science, the American scientist Grace Hopper was one of the pioneers behind modern programming languages.
In the early years of computing, programs were written directly in complex numerical codes that required highly specialized knowledge. Hopper helped transform this reality by advocating for programming languages that used commands closer to human language.
She played a key role in the development of COBOL (Common Business-Oriented Language), created in the late 1950s for commercial and administrative applications. COBOL allowed programs to be written in a more understandable way, facilitating the development of corporate and governmental systems.
Even decades after its creation, financial, banking, and administrative systems around the world still rely on COBOL-based applications. Hopper is also widely credited with popularizing the term “bug” to describe software errors after a real moth was found trapped inside a relay of the Harvard Mark II computer.
Gene editing and the CRISPR revolution
In recent decades, biotechnology has undergone a major transformation with the development of new genetic engineering tools. Among the most significant is the CRISPR-Cas9 system, developed by the biochemist Jennifer Doudna and the microbiologist Emmanuelle Charpentier.
The technique works as a type of “molecular scissors,” capable of locating specific DNA sequences and making precise cuts in genetic material. Scientists can then remove, replace, or insert genes at targeted locations.
This technology has opened new possibilities for treating genetic diseases, studying cellular functions, and developing more resilient agricultural crops. The scientific impact of CRISPR was so significant that the two researchers were awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2020.
The award was historic because it was the first time the Nobel Prize in Chemistry had been shared exclusively by two women.
Mrna technology and modern vaccines
The Hungarian biochemist Katalin Karikó dedicated part of her career to studying messenger RNA, the molecule responsible for carrying genetic instructions from DNA to the cell’s protein-producing machinery.
For many years, the idea of using mRNA in medical therapies was considered difficult to implement, mainly because the molecule triggered strong inflammatory reactions in the body. In collaboration with the immunologist Drew Weissman, Karikó developed chemical modifications that stabilized mRNA and made it safe for use in vaccines.
This discovery enabled the development of mRNA-based vaccines, which were widely used during the global pandemic of COVID-19. Beyond the fight against coronavirus, the technology opened new possibilities for vaccines against other diseases and for personalized cancer therapies.
Karikó and Weissman were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2023 for their contributions to the development of mRNA vaccine technology.
———————————
The article above was edited by Rafaela Navarro.
Liked this type of content? Check Her Campus Cásper Líbero home page for more!