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Ingenious women
"Innovation made by Women"
On our pages on "ingenious women" you will therefore find researchers and inventors who still serve as role models today.
Ice cream is probably the most popular and widespread sweet treat in the world. But it was once an extremely exclusive goodie that only a few could afford. Ice cream for everyone has only been around since Nancy Johnson. In 1843, she invented a device that made it relatively easy to prepare ice cream at home.
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Hollywood star, "most beautiful woman in the world", inventor: Hedy Lamarr was one of the most dazzling women of the 20th century. She embodied the beauty ideal of her time, was a scandalous superstar - and author of a visionary patent.
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To this day, she is probably the best-known female scientist in the world: Marie Curie, who died 90 years ago. A woman of superlatives: she was the first to establish herself in cutting-edge scientific research, helped shape the beginning of the atomic age and was the only person to receive Nobel Prizes in physics and in chemistry.
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She helped to control satellites more precisely, co-developed rockets and helped to put the world's first maglev train on track more than 50 years ago: electrical engineer Eveline Gottzein was a pioneer in aerospace technology. And she was one of the few women to receive top honors for her inventions and publications as an engineer. Gottzein died at the end of December at the age of 92.
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This year's "World Intellectual Property Day" was dominated by women: Almost half of the world's population is female, but women file significantly fewer patents than men. This needs to change, because women shape the world with their ingenuity and female perspective on things. Together with our cooperation partners, the patent information centers, we present women inventors, designers and trademark owners from all over Germany. The good news is that there are many of them and they have put very different ideas into practice. Let yourself be inspired and come along on an exciting journey through Germany with the "Women in IP".
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On the occasion of "International Women's Day 2023", representatives from several patent offices around the world will meet at the "United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)" in Alexandria from March 7 - 9. One of the main topics will be how to encourage women to become more visible with their innovations. Only if more women have their innovations protected by patents, trademarks and designs will we succeed in making the world a more sustainable and fairer place.
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In April 1953, Francis Crick and James Watson revealed the blueprint of life: the structure of DNA. In 1962, they received the Nobel Prize for their discovery. For years they kept quiet about the fact that their findings were largely based on the preliminary work of Rosalind Franklin.
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Her name was almost forgotten, but today Henrietta Vansittart has a firm place in the history of technology: she was one of the first women in Europe to work publicly as an engineer and inventor. Her ship's propeller is considered an important nautical invention of the 19th century.
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The "Knopf im Ohr" ("Button in Ear") is one of the most traditional German brands. Yet its founder Margarete Steiff had to overcome health hurdles before she could become a successful entrepreneur. She was born on July 24, 1847 in Giengen an der Brenz in Württemberg and would have celebrated her 175th birthday these days.
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Melli Beese was the first woman to acquire a „Flugzeugführerlizenz“. Germany's first female pilot had to overcome enormous resistance before she passed the exam on 13 September 1911. The aviation pioneer, constructor and entrepreneur fought for her place in history - as a figure who was as brave as she was tragic.
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50 years ago, on January 10, 1971, the world's most influential fashion designer died in Paris: Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel. Her life story is as exciting as her professional success is breathtaking. In the "Time" magazine list of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century, she is the only designer represented.
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Four women will receive a Nobel Prize this year - an extraordinary achievement in the history of this award. Andrea Ghez is only the fourth woman to get the Physics award in almost 120 years. In Chemistry, Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer Doudna share the prize. In addition, Louise Glück, a lyricist, receives the award for Literature.
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Everybody still knows the name of the first man on the moon. But only a few people knew until recently that some women had also played a decisive role in the millennium project of the lunar landing. In recent years, the names of some of these heroines have become known to a wider public. We present some of them in a small series.
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Her invention is used in oncology, at archaeological sites and for solving crimes, throughout the world: Spanish scientist Margarita Salas invented a fast, simple and reliable way to replicate traces of DNA into quantities large enough for full genomic testing.
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Käthe Paulus was a dazzling figure: courageous pioneer of aviation, daring acrobat, clever inventor and lifesaver: 150 years ago, on 22 December 1868, the developer of the modern parachute was born in Zellhausen near Offenbach.
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On 10 December, the Nobel Prizes for 2018 will be presented in Stockholm. What is particularly remarkable about this year's award ceremony is that two women will be honoured in the natural sciences at the same time: Donna Strickland in physics, Frances Arnold in chemistry. This is an absolute rarity in the Academy's award policy.
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She never completely fell into oblivion as she was the daughter of a famous man. But it took more than 100 years after her death until her own achievements were recognized and Ada Lovelace finally became famous because of them.
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In 1968, the German Patent Office received the patent application DE 1810 426 with the designation "Mass and fibres or threads made from it". What is described in the disclosure document on 144 pages is a super fibre, five times as strong as steel. It was invented by Stepahnie Kwolek, who was born a 100 years ago.
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There have always been controversial decisions in the history of the Nobel Prizes. One of the Academy's biggest omissions is that it has repeatedly ignored Lise Meitner in awarding the prizes - despite 48 nominations!
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On August 5, 1888, a woman heralded the era of the automobile: Without Bertha Benz, the history of mobility would have been different. On that day, she took her first longer trip by car. And proved to her husband and the rest of the world that his invention was suitable for everyday use and had the potential to change everything.
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110 years ago, a utility model was registered at the Kaiserliches Patentamt in Berlin, which is important in several respects: Firstly, the applicant was one of the first women to have her own invention personally protected. On the other hand, this invention was extremely successful and is still present in practically every household.
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One of the most important pharmaceutical researchers of the 20th century would have celebrated her 100th birthday these days: Gertrude Belle Elion. The Nobel laureate of 1988 developed some of the most important drugs of our time and revolutionized both the development of new pharmaceuticals and medicine in general.
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MGM / Public domain via Wikimedia Commons, Nobel Media AB, Public Domain, iStock.com/mihhailov, Archiv der Max Planck Gesellschaft, via Wikimedia Commons, Landesstelle für Museumsbetreuung Baden-Württemberg
Last updated: 6 December 2024
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