The Inventing HerStory podcast

Tired of bitter coffee grounds ruining your morning brew? So was Melitta Benz—and she decided to do something about it! Using a simple piece of blotting paper and a brass pot, this inventive German housewife revolutionized the way the world drinks coffee. Her creation of the paper coffee filter not only brewed a smoother cup but also sparked the birth of the Melitta company, still a household name today. Follow us in this episode of The Inventing HerStory Podcast to discover how Melitta's innovation transformed coffee culture forever and built a strong business that continues to filter through history!

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Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melitta_Bentz
https://www.melitta.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffee
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffee_filter

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Have you ever wondered how one scientist could turn something as dangerous as radiation into a tool for healing? This week, we’re diving into the life of Sameera Moussa, the brilliant Egyptian physicist who believed in “Atoms for Peace” long before it was popular. From her groundbreaking research on using radioactive elements for medical treatment to her fierce advocacy for accessible science, Sameera’s story shines bright against a turbulent political backdrop. Follow us in this episode of The Inventing Herstory Podcast to learn how she became a role model for young scientists—and the mystery behind her untimely death that still sparks debate today.

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Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sameera_Moussa
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atoms_for_Peace
https://en.majalla.com/node/76646/the-long-history-of-suspicious-deaths-of-egyptian-nuclear-scientists
https://arstechnica.com/science/2023/04/the-strange-tragic-story-of-egypts-foremost-female-nuclear-scientist/

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Have you ever wondered who made your kitchen so efficient—or why your oven, sink, and fridge are placed just so? This week, we’re stepping into the life of Lillian Moller Gilbreth, the brilliant engineer and psychologist (not to mention, mother of 12!) who turned motion studies into inventions, particularly in the household. From factory floors to family kitchens, Lillian designed a “step-saving” kitchen that let women quite literally bake their cake and save time so they could find work outside the house. Follow us in episode twenty one of The Inventing HerStory Podcast to learn how her clever designs reshaped modern living. 

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Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lillian_Moller_Gilbreth
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_and_motion_study
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrial_and_organizational_psychology
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Lillian-Evelyn-Gilbreth
https://nanoglobals.com/glossary/scientific-management-theory-of-frederick-taylor/#:~:text=In%20summary%2C%20Frederick%20Taylor's%20four,Cooperate%20with%20the%20Worker
https://slate.com/human-interest/2012/10/lillian-gilbreths-kitchen-practical-how-it-reinvented-the-modern-kitchen.html


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Think of the layers of the Earth as an onion, a slice of cake, or better yet, a Ferrero Rocher; a chocolate with a wafer outer crust, a creamy filling and a solid hazelnut in the center. If this analogy is true, then Inge Lehmann is the Danish seismologist who discovered the hazelnut in the center of the earth.

Ok ok, it's not a gigantic hazelnut, but it's still a solid core! In 1936 Inge Lehmann deciphered the Earth's hidden structure by studying seismic waves from earthquakes, something no one else had noticed.

But breaking scientific ground wasn’t the only challenge she faced. As a woman in a field dominated by men, Lehmann had to push through skepticism and barriers to have her work recognized. 

Follow us in episode twenty of The Inventing HerStory Podcast to learn all about Inge's life and discoveries. And the next time you hear about the mysteries of our planet’s depths, remember Inge Lehmann: scientist, trailblazer, and the woman who revealed Earth’s inner core.

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Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inge_Lehmann
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Inge-Lehmann
https://www.gmpe.it/terremoti/onde-sismiche
https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sismologia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acdxGKxW3aI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=an0xl10YlxQ

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Have you ever looked at a world map and wondered HOW did the continents end up where they currently are, oceans apart? This week we’re diving deep—literally—into the life of Marie Tharp, the woman who mapped the ocean floor and turned the scientific world upside down. Before her, no one knew that continents could drift—now they can’t stop! Follow us in episode nineteen of The Inventing HerStory Podcast to  learn all about Marie's detailed data analysis that changed the way the world is viewed. Spoiler: Her maps helped prove continental drift, but did she get the credit she deserved? Tune in and find out how this genius was almost left off the map.

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Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie_Tharp
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mid-Atlantic_Ridge
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plate_tectonics
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continental_drift
https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/science-and-technology/geology-and-oceanography-biographies/marie-tharp


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Did you know that the stars in the night sky are mostly made of hydrogen and helium? You can thank Cecilia Payne for that groundbreaking discovery! Despite her work initially being dismissed by male colleagues, Cecilia Payne’s genius unlocked the secret composition of stars, reshaping our understanding of the universe.

But her journey wasn’t all starlight and brilliance, she had to fight against the odds as a woman in early 20th-century science. So, the next time you gaze at the stars and think  "they are fireflies that got stuck up in that big bluish black thing", remember Cecilia Payne: astrophysicist, trailblazer, pioneer, and the woman who proved the stars are much more than just decorations in the sky.

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Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cecilia_Payne-Gaposchkin
https://academic.oup.com/astrogeo/article/43/1/1.27/203723?login=true
https://www.amnh.org/learn-teach/curriculum-collections/cosmic-horizons-book/cecilia-payne-profile
https://www.ans.org/news/article-6028/cecilia-paynegaposchkin-the-woman-who-first-grasped-the-elemental-power-of-stars/

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Did you know that Lizzie Magie is the true inventor of Monopoly? Well, technically, she invented and patented The Landlord's Game, a board game initially deemed "too complicated" to achieve widespread popularity. Despite this, her creation started spreading across the U.S., with players crafting their own personalized versions of the game.
That is, until someone stepped in, declared, "Hey, I've got a great idea!" and patented what we now know as Monopoly.
Join us as we unravel the drama behind one of the most iconic board games of the last century. Meet Lizzie Magie: feminist, inventor, game designer, actress, writer, and passionate Georgist!

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Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lizzie_Magie
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Landlord%27s_Game#cite_note-17
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finance_(game)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monopoly_(game)
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045462/1905-12-17/ed-1/seq-59/#loclr=blogadm
https://blogs.loc.gov/inside_adams/2022/09/elizabeth-j-magie/

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Earning both public recognition for her inventions and making "barrel-loads" of money (wink, wink!), Maria E. Beasley was an inventor extraordinaire. With 15 patents to her name and millions of dollars in income, she is best known for her barrel-hooping machine, her revolutionised design of the life raft, and anti-derailment modifications made to trains. How exactly did this 19th-century American engineer such a wide variety of inventions?! Follow us in episode sixteen of The Inventing HerStory Podcast to learn all about Maria's trailblazing career in a male-dominated field, and how her legacy continues to impact modern engineering today.


Support the podcast! https://www.buzzsprout.com/2173831/support

Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_E._Beasley
https://www.stmarys.sa.edu.au/women-in-stem-maria-beasley.html
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-champaign-daily-gazette-woman-and-ho/90478469/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-inquirer-she-has-a-barrel-mrs-mari/90480777/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-newton-enterprise-a-lady-inventor/90479179/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_E._Beasley#Barrel-hooping_machine
https://intrans.iastate.edu/news/maria-beasley-engineering-dynamo/
https://worldwide.espacenet.com/patent/search/family/002314379/publication/US245050A?q=pn%3DUS245050
https://worldwide.espacenet.com/patent/search/family/002326239/publication/US256951A?q=pn%3DUS256951
https://worldwide.espacenet.com/patent/search/family/002673142/publication/US604513A?q=pn%3DUS604513

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Eva Ekeblad, also known as the "potato pioneer", was (one of) the first female chemists in Sweden. She experimented with using potatoes in many cooking and household applications including making potato bread, potato starch, dying yarn using potato starch, and most notably, liquor distilled from potatoes! During a time when potatoes were new and not yet popular in Sweden (believe it or not), these discoveries made a huge impact. Historians even credit increasing popular use of the potato with preventing famine in Europe! Follow us in episode fifteen of The Inventing HerStory Podcast  to learn all about the history of the potato and Eva Ekeblad's use of the potato which contributed to their popularity in Sweden still today!


Support the podcast! https://www.buzzsprout.com/2173831/support

Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potato
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Br%C3%A4nnvin
https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-distill-vodka/
https://popularhistoria.se/vetenskap/eva-ekeblad-gjorde-sprit-av-potatis
https://skbl.se/en/article/EvaEkeblad
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Eva-Ekeblad
https://sok.riksarkivet.se/sbl/Presentation.aspx?id=16806


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Known as the "Mother of Aquariophily," Jeanne Villepreux-Power invented the aquarium, allowing for groundbreaking studies of marine life in their natural habitats. But how did this invention come about?! Discover her remarkable journey from a seamstress in rural France to a self-learned naturalist whose innovative methods laid the foundation for modern marine research, not to mention aqua farming. Follow us as we explore the life and drama-filled journey of Jeanne Villepreux-Power in episode fourteen of The Inventing HerStory Podcast!

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Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeanne_Villepreux-Power
Jeanne Villepreux-Power | French Naturalist, Inventor of Aquariums | Britannica
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argonauta_argo
https://www.britannica.com/animal/nautilus-cephalopod
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tool_use_by_non-humans
Oinuma, C., (2008). "Octopus mercatoris response behaviour to novel objects in a laboratory setting: Evidence of play and tool use behavior?" In Octopus Tool Use and Play Behavior
https://www.amightygirl.com/blog?p=26020

Listen to Artichoke's song Jeanne Villepreux!

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