Science Milestones

This Week in Science History

Milestones in science, mathematics, and technology for the week of May 5th-May 11th

(Hybrid AI composite image by Author)

“Everything is theoretically impossible until it is done. One could write a history of science in reverse by assembling the solemn pronouncements of highest authority about what could not be done and could never happen.”
— Robert A. Heinlein (1907–1988)

Welcome to our new series “Science Milestones.” Here, we are highlighting some of the extraordinary people and transformative accomplishments in science, mathematics, and technology over the centuries.

What Happened This Week in History

May 5

• 1809: becomes the first woman awarded a U.S. patent. Her technique for weaving straw with silk and thread enhanced the durability and aesthetic appeal of women’s hats. The event is notable in that she received the patent under her own name at a time when women’s legal and economic rights were severely restricted and women could not even own property.
• 1961: becomes the first American to travel into space. He made a sub-orbital flight that lasted 15 minutes and 28 seconds. The Mercury space capsule, nicknamed…