February 25

William Lily was an influential grammarian born around 1468. Appointed the first Regius Professor of Greek at Cambridge, he co-authored the standard Latin grammar 'Brevissima Institutio' in 1512. His work was authorized by Henry VIII in 1542 as the official text for schools. Lily’s grammar shaped language instruction for generations in England. He also contributed translations of classical texts and advanced humanist scholarship. His legacy endures in institutions that bear his name.

Santorio Santorio was born in 1561 and studied medicine at the University of Padua. He introduced precise measurements into medicine, inventing instruments like the thermometer and the thermoscope. His work 'De Statica Medicina' laid the foundation for metabolic studies by weighing patients before and after meals. Santorio conducted experiments on perspiration and insensible excretion, establishing methods for clinical quantification. His emphasis on measurement transformed medical science from qualitative descriptions to quantitative analysis. Santorio’s innovations influenced later scientists and the development of modern physiology.

Charles Edwin Bessey was born in 1845 and became one of the leading figures in American botany. He served as a professor at Iowa State University, where he developed the New Botanic System, also known as the Bessey system, for classifying flowering plants. Bessey emphasized evolutionary principles in taxonomy and mentored a generation of botanists. He authored several influential textbooks and was a founding member of the Botanical Society of America. His work laid the groundwork for modern plant systematics and education. Bessey passed away in 1915, leaving a lasting legacy in both research and teaching.

Marcel-Auguste Dieulafoy was born in 1844 in France and trained as an engineer before turning to archaeology. He led a series of French excavations at Susa between 1884 and 1886, uncovering important Elamite and Persian artifacts. Dieulafoy documented his discoveries in detailed reports and publications, bringing ancient Near Eastern cultures to wider scholarly attention. He and his wife, Jane Dieulafoy, traveled extensively, photographing and sketching the sites. His interdisciplinary approach combined rigorous engineering methods with careful archaeological practice. Dieulafoy’s work influenced later explorations in the Middle East and contributed significantly to the study of ancient Persia.

Elizabeth Gertrude Britton was born in 1857 and studied at Columbia University’s School of Mines. She co-founded the New York Botanical Garden in 1891 and served as the first president of the Torrey Botanical Club. Britton specialized in bryology, producing seminal works on moss taxonomy and ecology. She campaigned for plant conservation and played a key role in establishing botanical education programs. Her collected specimens and correspondence enriched numerous herbariums and influenced botanical research worldwide. Britton died in 1934, leaving a legacy as a trailblazer for women in science.

George Minot was born in 1885 in Boston and pursued medical studies at Harvard University. Along with William P. Murphy and George H. Whipple, he discovered that a diet rich in liver could treat pernicious anemia. This breakthrough earned them the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1934. Minot’s research transformed a previously fatal disease into a manageable condition and opened new avenues in hematology. He served as a professor at Harvard Medical School and mentored numerous students. Minot died in 1950, and his work remains foundational in the treatment of blood disorders.

Sergei Winogradsky was born in 1856 and studied at the University of St. Petersburg. He developed the Winogradsky column, a culture method that revealed the metabolic diversity of microbes in soil and water. Winogradsky’s discovery of chemoautotrophic bacteria, which obtain energy by oxidizing inorganic compounds, revolutionized the understanding of microbial nutrition. He also characterized nitrifying and sulfate-reducing bacteria, highlighting their ecological roles. His work laid the groundwork for the fields of environmental microbiology and biogeochemical cycling. Winogradsky passed away in 1953, and his contributions continue to influence microbiology and ecology.

Born in 1895, Melville J. Herskovits studied under Franz Boas at Columbia University. He conducted groundbreaking fieldwork in Haiti and West Africa, emphasizing African cultural retention. In 1926, he published "The Myth of the Negro Past", challenging prevailing racial theories. As a professor at Northwestern University, he established the first African Studies program in the US. His scholarship reshaped understandings of cultural pluralism and diasporic identity. Herskovits passed away in 1963, leaving a lasting legacy in anthropology.

Born in 1884 in Klippan, Sweden, Theodor Svedberg studied chemistry at Uppsala University. He invented the analytical ultracentrifuge to study colloidal particles and macromolecules. In 1926, Svedberg received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his research on colloids. His techniques revolutionized biochemistry by enabling precise molecular weight measurements. He served as a professor and led significant advancements in physical chemistry. Svedberg died in 1971, remembered as a founder of modern colloid science.

Glenn T. Seaborg was born in 1912 and completed his doctoral studies at the University of California, Berkeley. He co-discovered plutonium and nine other transuranium elements, transforming the field of nuclear chemistry. Seaborg received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1951 for his pioneering research on the chemistry of the transuranium elements. He served as chairman of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission from 1961 to 1971, advising multiple presidents on nuclear policy. An author of over 500 scientific papers and several books, he was a leading advocate for the peaceful use of atomic energy. Seaborg remained active in research and education until his death in 1999, cementing a monumental scientific legacy.

Born in 1915, Ihsan Dogramaci was a leading pediatrician who founded and served as the first rector of Hacettepe University in Ankara. He also established the School of Medicine at Bilkent University and played a key role in founding UNICEF's Turkish National Committee. Dogramaci served as president of the Turkish Pediatric Association and held leadership roles at WHO and UNICEF on a global level. He authored numerous medical publications and advocated for improved child healthcare policies. His contributions laid the foundation for modern medical education in Turkey. He died in 2010.

Born in 1922 in New York City, Eugenie Clark earned a PhD from Radcliffe College and became one of the first female oceanographers. She conducted groundbreaking field studies in the Bahamas, Japan, and Australia, discovering new fish species and advancing knowledge of marine ecosystems. Clark founded the Mote Marine Laboratory Shark Tagging Program to improve understanding and conservation of sharks. An advocate for marine education, she wrote popular books and appeared on television to share her passion. Her work helped change public perceptions of sharks and marine life. She passed away in 2015, leaving a legacy of scientific discovery and environmental stewardship.