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Happy Birthday to Mary Somerville (26 Dec 1780 – 29 Nov 1872), the brilliant Scottish scientist, writer, mathematician and science writer.
The word scientist was coined for her.
In an era filled with great men of science but few women, she pioneered the art of presenting science in words that were engaging and accessible to a wide audience.
She predicted the presence of Neptune based on the perturbations of the orbit of Uranus.
In 1827, Mary Somerville was asked to translate LaPlace's Mécanique Céleste, which summed up the then current state of gravitational mathematics.
Somerville produced not just a translation, but a masterpiece aimed at reaching a larger audience by communicating the concepts clearly through simple illustrations and experiments.
The Mechanism of the Heavens (1831) was a tremendous success. It was set as a textbook for undergraduates at Cambridge until the 1880s.
BT Free is a non-profit organization founded by @ozoned@btfree.social . It's goal is for digital privacy rights, advocacy and consulting. This goal will be attained by hosting open platforms to allow others to seamlessly join the Fediverse on moderated instances or by helping others join the Fediverse.
