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American astronomer Annie Jump Cannon was born today in 1863. She lost most of her hearing early in her life, but became one of the ‘Harvard Computers’, classifying around 350,000 stars during her career. 🌃

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Ada Lovelace, born today in 1815, is often regarded as the world's first computer programmer. 💾 She is known for the 'Analytical Engine', a device she invented with Charles Babbage, that has all the elements of a modern computer.

2 days ago | [YT] | 539

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American computer scientist Grace Hopper was born today in 1906. She was a pioneer of computer programming, developing languages like COBOL, which is still in use today. She was one of the first programmers on the Harvard Mark I computer and is credited with writing the first computer manual.

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Today in 1868 German physicist Arnold Sommerfeld was born. A great scientist in his own right, he is most known for being a wildly successful teacher of physics - nurturing talents such as Hans Bethe, Werner Heisenberg and Linus Pauling. As a student himself, he was a member of a boisterous fraternity, and carried a duelling scar on his face his whole life.🤺

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Born into slavery, George Washington Carver became an eminent botanist and inventor. He invented over 300 uses for the peanut and advised leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and President Teddy Roosevelt on agriculture and nutrition. He died on this day in 1943.

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Agnes E. Wells, born today in 1876, was a professor of mathematics and astronomy at the University of Michigan. She founded and led several women's rights organisations, and was the chair of the National Women's Party

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Clergyman and mathematician John Wallis was born today in 1616. He is one of the inventors of infinitesimal calculus and came up with the figure of 8 symbol (♾) to represent infinity.

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Today in 1967, astrophysicist Jocelyn Bell Burnell recognised the first evidence of a pulsar, a type of highly magnetised neutron star that emits radiation in regular pulses. Data from the pulsar forms the basis of this famous Joy Division album cover.

2 weeks ago (edited) | [YT] | 478

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Swedish astronomer, physicist and mathematician, Anders Celsius was born today in 1701. He gives his name to the temperature scale he devised, and which is still commonly used today. Except he proposed that water freeze at 100 °C and boil at 0 °C! ☕

2 weeks ago | [YT] | 401

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Oceanographer Athelstan Spilhaus was born today in 1911. He wrote the popular science comic Our New Age, which was read by John F. Kennedy. He also produced the first map of the world from the POV of the ocean (below).

2 weeks ago | [YT] | 332