Stories About Women Scientists For Children

When you think of important scientists in history, you might think of names like Einstein or Newton. But what about women scientists throughout history?

Society has always left them in the background, seeing the achievements of their male colleagues as more important. Of course, this only applies if they have not been prosecuted or charged with witchcraft.

In 2015, the United Nations (UN) declared that February 11 is “International Day of Women and Girls in Science”. Its purpose is to recognize all women in science and to honor their achievements.

Today we show you a few. However, we need many more articles to really do justice to all female scientists.

3 Stories of Important Women Scientists in History

So, in this article, we’re going to show you three wonderful stories by three amazing female scientists that you can read with your kids. They are truly icons of past, present and future generations.

Women Scientists: Hypatia of Alexandria

She was the first mathematician in history. We know that she was born about AD 370 in Alexandria, Egypt. She had been taught philosophy, physics, mathematics and astronomy and was subsequently sentenced to death by a group of Christians who accused her of heresy.

They brutally murdered her when she was 46 years old. Her scientific research and knowledge of literature was so great that she was better than men of her time.

Hypatia: The truth in mathematics

This is a story by Jordi Bayarri (only available in Spanish or English). It is part of a collection of science comics that is perfect for children between 10 and 12 years old.

Through her story, Hypatia will teach you about the ancient library of Alexandria. In addition, she tells what it was like to be a teacher and scientist in the time of Constantine the Great.

Marie Curie

She was the mother of chemistry and physics. Born in 1867, Marie Salomea Sklodowska-Curie was the first woman to receive two Nobel Prizes in both physics and chemistry. She was also the very first person to have them.

Initially, her husband was given credit for her radiation studies. She even had to ask to clear up the misunderstanding. However , she did not register her discoveries so that all scientists could access them.

Marie Curie: the activity of radium

This is in the same collection of comics as Hypatia, by Jordi Bayarri. In his fourth book (available in Spanish and English only), Bayarri brings you closer to the life of this wonderful woman, who discovered things like radium and polonium.

Both her love for science and her commitment to free collaboration between scientists around the world make her the best example of a female scientist.

Jane Goodall

Valerie Jane Morris-Goodall was born in London in 1934. She is known worldwide for her studies in chimpanzee primatology and anthropology. Her scientific research into chimpanzee behavior, society, and resource use subsequently made her famous in the scientific community. In 2013, she received the Princess of Asturias Prize for Technical and Scientific Research.

Jane Goodall: an inspiring story

This is a perfect story by Sabrina Kraus (available in Spanish and English only) to encourage girls to pursue their dreams. Albert, guard of the camps, tells the real story of Jane every night. In addition, through Jane’s fascinating life, she reminds children that they should never stop trying to achieve their goals.

Some books about female scientists

We can not close this article without mentioning certain female scientists from our history. For example, Barbara McClintock, who specializes in cytogenetics and won the Nobel Prize for her theory of jumping genes. In addition, there is Jocelyn Bell, a British astrophysicist who discovered the first radio signal from a pulsar.

In addition, there are some published books that resemble small encyclopedias about the lives of these women scientists and others:

• Girls and Science: The 50 Most Influential Women Pioneers Worldwide. This book is by Rachel Ignotofsky. We recommend it for children aged 8 and above.
• Girls Think of Everything: Stories of Ingenious Inventions by Women (available in English only). By Catherine Thimmesh, this book focuses on scientific inventions that have brought women around the world.
• 10 Women Who Changed Science and the World (Trailblazers, Pioneers and Revolutionaries) (available in English only). Catherine Whitlock describes the fascinating stories of ten women from the 19th and 20th centuries who made important contributions to science.

We hope these stories about female scientists will help you inspire girls in science and thereby help them pursue their dreams.