Ada Lovelace Day 2010
Today is designated Ada Lovelace Day - a day to celebrate women who have contributed to science and technology. In the nineteenth century Ada worked on programming Charles Babbage's calculating machines using a system devised to control looms that automated the weaving of pattern in fine fabrics. She is the icon of this day on which bloggers around the world write about inspiring female scientists. Find out more at www.findingada.com My contribution to this day is a bit serendipitous. I hadn't been sure what to write about and the day had nearly gone when the subject was given to me be a random choice of TV programme. I was watching Bettany Hughes' Ancient World about Alexandria - around half the material revolved around Hypatia (right). This woman lived in fourth century Egypt; she was a philosopher in the true sense of the word - a lover of wisdom. She assisted her father in his mathematical scholarship and grew to become a respected scholar in her own right and the ...