The Matilda effect describes the phenomenon by which women's scientific contributions are minimized, ignored, or attributed to men.
The Matilda effect
She gave her name to a collective oblivion: that of the women history erased.
View their portraitsUnderstanding the Matilda effect
The Matildas timeline
From Hypatia to Lise Meitner, these women shaped science from the shadows. Explore the timeline retracing their journeys across the centuries.
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Hypatia of Alexandria (c. 370 - 415)
Ancient mathematician and astronomer, symbol of the earliest learned women.
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Ada Lovelace (1815 - 1852)
19th-century mathematician, the first computer programmer in history.
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Lise Meitner (1878 - 1968)
Physicist behind the discovery of nuclear fission.
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Rosalind Franklin (1920 - 1958)
Biologist whose X-ray images enabled the discovery of the DNA structure.
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Donna Strickland (1959 - )
Canadian physicist, almost unknown to the general public before her 2018 Nobel Prize: symbol of recognition that still comes late.
About the project
Lumina is an editorial project created to pass on the memory of women in science. Conceived by an MMI student, it blends research, design, and storytelling.