published his book Disquisitiones Arithmeticae,which was a
breakthrough in number theory that explained the use of
imaginary and congruent numbers. He published little, because
of his desire to constantly improve the work he had already
done, but went on to make many more contributions in
mathematics, particularly in geometry, applied mathematics,
astronomy, in which he calculated the correct orbit for the new
asteroid Ceres, physics, and statistics. He also coinvented the
first working telegraph.Germain, Marie-Sophie(1776–1831) French mathematician and
physicist who is known as the HYPATIAof the 18th century, she
became interested in mathematics when she read about
ARCHIMEDES’ death in History of Mathematics,a book by Jean-
Étienne Montucla that she found in her father’s library. Because
she was a girl, she was not allowed to study mathematics as a
child, and her parents took away her candles and heat at
bedtime to keep her from reading Newton and Euler. It did not
work, and she instead stayed up and taught herself calculus. She
accomplished her most famous contributions to the sciences by
Germain BIOGRAPHIES
Germain BIOGRAPHIES
Karl Friedrich Gauss
(Courtesy of AIP Emilio Segrè
Visual Archives)