Page 18 - BPW-UK - E-news - Edition 110 - March 2023_Neat

Celebrating United Nations International Day

of

Women and Girls in Science

"You can't be what you can't see".

Mother of Dorset school girl Evie Swire.

Following the United Nations International day of women and girls in
science on 11 February 2023, Discover magazine chose 5 of their favourite stories
told by girls under 12 yrs old. Here is just one of them.

In 1811, Mary Anning was just 12 years old when she found the first complete
ichthyosaur to be discovered in England, in her hometown of Lyme Regis. Apparent-
ly, Mary and her father regularly searched the nearby Jurassic limestone cliffs for
the wealth of fossils buried in them. At the time, local people, including Mary’s fami-
ly made a business out of selling fossils or shells as curiosities to tourists to support
themselves. Think of the tongue twister,

“ She sells seashells on the seashore.The shells she sells are seashells I’m sure”.

Inspite of her limited education, Mary became known throughout Europe for her
discoveries and many geologists of the day bought the ammonites she found in the
limestone.

Unfortunately, along with many other women of her day, she was unrecognised
by the scientific community. She was barred from joining or even attending meet-
ings of the Geological Society, but towards the end of her life they belatedly
acknowledged her contributions to science and donated money to support her. Mary
died of breast cancer in 1847, aged 47 yrs.

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