Celebrating Women in Science

By US Environmental Protection Agency [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

February 11 is the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, a reminder that there is still a gender gap in science. Despite the obstacles that women need to overcome, their contributions to field of science have benefited not only their fellow researchers but also their fellow humans. From treatments for diseases to new discoveries that opened up entire fields, women have advanced knowledge across the spectrum of science. Below is a sampling of the achievements of just a few women in science. What other living female scientist or inventor might you add?

Hate malaria? You can thank Tu Youyou for discovering artemisinin and dihydroartemisinin, compounds that are used to treat the tropical disease and save numerous lives. Her discovery was so significant, she received the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

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Sailing: Relaxing Pastime or Dangerous Sport?

SailboatSailing has always struck me as a civilized, relaxing way to spend a beautiful summer day. I imagine sitting on the boat’s deck in a sundress with a big floppy hat to keep the sun off of my face, a cold beverage in hand and perhaps a picnic basket of sandwiches at my feet. What could be more tranquil than gently gliding along the water’s rippling surface, with just enough of a breeze to keep you cool on a hot sunny day?

That’s how I envision sailing, and it will be obvious to many of you from this description that I do not sail. However, my husband and many of my friends do, and they tell a very different account, especially during a race: Sailors quickly moving around the deck, tackling and subduing unruly spinnakers, dodging booms and other hazards, and in general just trying not to fall overboard, especially on those days when it is blowing 20 (translation for us nonsailors: days with 20-mile-per-hour winds). Thus, a recent paper in the December issue of the journal Wilderness & Environmental Medicine caught my attention (1). In it, the authors report the frequency and types of injuries sustained by sailors while sailing. Those of you who sail will not be surprised by the findings, but I was. Sailing is more dangerous than I imagined. Continue reading “Sailing: Relaxing Pastime or Dangerous Sport?”