The ultimate scientific "be careful what you wish for" moment. Harvard Observatory director Edward Pickering complained his staff was so incompetent that his Scottish maid could do better work. Then he actually hired her. Williamina Fleming went on to classify over 10,000 stars, discover white dwarfs, and the Horsehead Nebula while the men she replaced probably went home to contemplate their career choices. The astronomical equivalent of "hold my telescope." Next time you feel underestimated, remember Fleming turned a backhanded insult into stellar discoveries that changed astronomy forever.
I Just Hope The Man She Replaced Ended Up Working As Her Maid
1 month ago
4,452 views
0 shares

astronomy-memes, women-in-science-memes, williamina-fleming-memes, harvard-observatory-memes, stars-memes | ScienceHumor.io
More Like This
The Invisible Cosmic Hide-And-Seek Champion
3 months ago
7.4K views
0 shares

When Science Journalism Goes Quantum Bonkers
1 month ago
5.6K views
0 shares

Cosmic Near Miss: Too Close For Comfort
1 month ago
4.2K views
0 shares

Loading more content...