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ismnotwasm

(41,967 posts)
Mon Mar 23, 2015, 12:26 PM Mar 2015

Emmy Noether revolutionized mathematics — and still faced sexism all her life

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Emmy Noether was one of the most brilliant and important mathematicians of the 20th century. She altered the course of modern physics. Einstein called her a genius. Yet today, almost nobody knows who she is.

In 1915, Noether uncovered one of science's most extraordinary ideas, proving that every symmetry found in nature has a corresponding law of conservation. So, for example, the fact that physical laws work the same today as they did yesterday turns out to be related to the notion that energy can neither be created nor destroyed. Noether's theorem is a deep insight that underpins much of modern-day physics and things like the search for the Higgs boson.

DESPITE HER BRILLIANCE, UNIVERSITIES DIDN'T WANT TO HIRE A WOMAN

Even so, as one of the very few female mathematicians working in Germany in her day, Noether faced rampant sexism. As a young woman, she wasn't allowed to formally attend university. Even after proving herself a first-rate mathematician, male faculties were reluctant to hire her. If that wasn't enough, in 1933, the Nazis ousted her for being Jewish. Even today, she remains all-too obscure.

That should change. So it’s welcome news that Google is honoring Noether today with a Google Doodle on her 133rd birthday. To celebrate, here's an introduction


http://www.vox.com/2015/3/23/8274777/emmy-noether
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Emmy Noether revolutionized mathematics — and still faced sexism all her life (Original Post) ismnotwasm Mar 2015 OP
133? They're going to need a lot of candles on the cake shenmue Mar 2015 #1
thank you, Google. K&R Tuesday Afternoon Mar 2015 #2
HIS story was largely written by men, excluding women. Triana Mar 2015 #3
Too true ismnotwasm Mar 2015 #4
Like the Eniac women - all mathematicians - not recognized for their work Triana Mar 2015 #5
 

Triana

(22,666 posts)
3. HIS story was largely written by men, excluding women.
Mon Mar 23, 2015, 01:07 PM
Mar 2015

HER story such as this is the sadly untold part.

ismnotwasm

(41,967 posts)
4. Too true
Mon Mar 23, 2015, 01:11 PM
Mar 2015

I was thinking of all the times in history where women were not allowed in sciences, were considered "natually" not as efficient at mathematics, when there were women like this all throughout history

 

Triana

(22,666 posts)
5. Like the Eniac women - all mathematicians - not recognized for their work
Mon Mar 23, 2015, 01:26 PM
Mar 2015

until they were almost all dead.

Without them the hardware would have been useless. http://eniacprogrammers.org/

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