Sheril Kirshenbaum

Born in 1894, physicist Marietta Blau’s research led to a way to capture the tracks of speeding subatomic particles.

In 1937, Blau & Hertha Wambacher made a discovery that launched the field of particle physics. But she was forced to pause her work in 1938 bc of the Nazis.

Blau was nominated several times for the Nobel Prize but never won. Cecil F. Powell later built on her work & earned the Nobel Prize in Physics. https://www.sciencehistory.org/stories/magazine/the-dark-stars-of-marietta-blau/ #history #science #historyremix

The Dark Stars of Marietta Blau

A scientist pitted hard work and ingenuity against the constraints she faced as a Jewish woman.

Science History Institute
May 2, 2024 at 1:51amMetatext
Show threadBob DavidsonMay 2, 2024

@Sheril

It's really hard to understand how she could be recommended twice by Erwin Schrödinger and not get it. I mean, maybe not that hard to understand, but talk about a recommendation!

Show threadSkulls in the StarsMay 2, 2024
@Sheril So, so many stories of women ignored by the scientific community.
Show threadPaul H 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🇪🇺May 2, 2024

@Sheril
As a physicist, I'm surprised I haven't been aware of Blau's work. Probably because it involves a specific, very important, technique for a specific field (development of photographic emulsions and methods for detecting energetic particles) as opposed to a fundamental discovery. That said, she met the criteria for a Nobel Prize and it should have been awarded as she had pioneered the techniques.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marietta_Blau

Marietta Blau - Wikipedia

Show threadTeflonTroutMay 2, 2024

@Sheril I must take this opportunity to thank Madame Blau for my favorite blue mug.

Thank you.

Show threadAlexey VeraksaMay 2, 2024
@Sheril “The physics community was electrified.” 😄