Without the efforts of Stephanie Louise Kwolek, there would be no bullet-proof vest protecting the officers on the street; strong helmets protecting the heads of soldiers; or a safe round of entertainment for children jumping up and down on a trampoline. In this article, you will learn about a collection of interesting and helpful inventors that were created by women.
Stephanie Louise Kwolek
Kwolek is responsible for inventing the polymer fiber, Kevlar, which is five times stronger than the same amount of steel. Kevlar is also used in the construction of some tennis rackets and a host of other objects that people use on a regular basis. Kwolek first introduced Kevlar to the world when DuPont first marketed it in 1971.
Ida Henrietta Hyde
During the 1930s, Ida Henrietta Hyde (1857-1945) was a physiologist who became the first to invent the microelectrode. This small device was used to electrically (or chemically) promote the activity of living cells, and in the end recorded their electrical (or chemical) stimulation. Hyde accomplished another first, as she was the first female to graduate from the University of Heidelberg and also was the first to complete research at the Harvard Medical School. Additionally, Hyde became the first woman elected to the American Physiological Society.
Isabella Karle
Born in 1921, the physical chemist by the name of Isabella Helen Lugoski Karle is known as the inventor of improved techniques in X-ray crystallography. By using electron diffraction, followed by X-ray diffraction, she was able to study the structure of molecule. Karle also designed a 3-D modeling process, which allowed her to identify and reveal the structures of hundreds of complex and significant molecules. This included the likes of alkaloids, ionophores, steroids, toxins, as well as peptides, which are regarded as important amino acid compounds.
In the world of science, Karle made great strides and because of her efforts, the amount of published molecular analyses boomed, as the small number of 150 skyrocketed to more than 10,000 on a yearly basis. As a result, Karle earned National Medal of Science in 1995. She would later become the senior scientist and head of the Naval Research Laboratory’s (NRL) x-ray diffraction section devoted to the Laboratory for the Structure of Matter. Another notable scientist connected to Karle is her husband named Jerome Karle, who won a Nobel Prize in chemistry.
Marion Donovan
Marion Donovan was an architect and inventor, who came up with an idea that mothers all over the world appreciate. As a mother, she came up with the idea of the disposable diaper in 1950. The diaper was leak-proof and became a fast-selling item. At first, they were called “Boaters.” However, she was unsuccessful in selling her invention to established manufacturers and decided to establish her own company. She would later sell her company, but before long , she had more than 12 patents under her belt. Donovan became known as the invention for an assortment of products that consumers can’t live without.
