Before Isaac Newton's ideas reshaped Europe, his work struggled to gain traction in Italy. This episode revisits the remarkable life of Laura Bassi, the first woman in history to hold an academic chair, and the physicist who championed Newtonian physics against fierce intellectual and social resistance.
In 1776, Laura Bassi achieved a historic milestone, becoming the first woman in the world to hold a chair of experimental physics and the highest-paid lecturer at the University of Bologna. Her advocacy accelerated the acceptance of Newtonian physics in Italy and paved the way for future generations of women in science.
This episode explores how intellect, persistence, and scientific curiosity allowed Laura Bassi to reshape physics education and secure her legacy as one of the most important figures in the history of women in STEM.
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