March 14

Born in the Pindus mountains, Ioan Nicolidi belonged to the Aromanian nobility. He pursued medical studies in Western Europe and returned to practice among his community. Nicolidi served as a physician during a time of social and political change in the Balkans. He combined traditional healing methods with emerging scientific approaches of his era. His career spanned over five decades, during which he gained respect for his dedication to public health. He died in 1828, remembered for advancing medical care in his native region.

Born in 1833 in New York state, Hobbs Taylor began her career as a schoolteacher before pursuing dentistry at a time when women were barred from formal study. Denied admission to dental schools, she apprenticed under a practicing dentist and set up her own practice in Ohio in 1861. In 1866, she became the first woman to graduate from the Ohio College of Dental Surgery, breaking barriers in a male-dominated field. She advocated for women's entry into dentistry and lectured on oral hygiene, influencing dental education standards. Balancing her professional career and family life, she laid the groundwork for future generations of female medical practitioners.

Born in Savigliano, Italy, Schiaparelli became director of the Brera Observatory in Milan, where he conducted groundbreaking planetary observations. In 1877, he recorded linear features on Mars he called 'canali', which the press mistranslated as canals, fueling speculation about Martian civilization. He compiled extensive catalogs of asteroids, comets, and stellar occultations, advancing celestial mechanics. Schiaparelli also studied the history of ancient astronomy, publishing works on Greek and Roman astronomical practices. A senator of the Kingdom of Italy, he bridged science and public life until his death in 1910, leaving a lasting impact on planetary science.

Born in Boston, Cutter graduated from Harvard Divinity School before becoming librarian of the Boston Athenaeum. He created the Cutter Expansive Classification, offering a more flexible and detailed alternative to the Dewey system. Cutter promoted the library as a democratic institution, writing influential essays on cataloging and public library management. His cataloging rules and cooperative catalog concept influenced the Library of Congress and libraries worldwide. He also advocated for children's access to libraries, shaping early library outreach programs. Cutter's innovations laid the foundation for modern information organization and retrieval practices.

Born in London, O'Shaughnessy worked in the Zoology Department of the British Museum, specializing in reptiles and amphibians while composing poetry. His 1874 collection 'Music and Moonlight' included the famous lines, 'We are the music-makers, And we are the dreamers of dreams.' He associated with the Pre-Raphaelite circle and influenced later poets with his lyrical style. O'Shaughnessy published scientific papers describing new species of lizards and snakes, reflecting his dual passions. He died at 44, leaving a unique legacy as both a pioneering herpetologist and a Romantic poet whose words continue to inspire.

Paul Ehrlich was a German physician and scientist known as a founder of modern immunology. He introduced the concept of the "magic bullet" to target disease without harming healthy tissue. In 1910 he developed Salvarsan, the first effective treatment for syphilis, which revolutionized chemotherapy. Ehrlich’s staining techniques advanced the fields of histology and pathology. In 1908 he received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his discoveries in immunity. His legacy continues to influence vaccine development and targeted therapy in medicine.

Vilhelm Bjerknes was a visionary Norwegian scientist whose work bridged physics and meteorology. He formulated the primitive equations that describe the motion of the atmosphere, forming the basis of numerical weather prediction. Bjerknes introduced the concept of air masses and weather fronts, revolutionizing the understanding of weather systems. As a professor, he mentored a generation of meteorologists who established forecasting services worldwide. His pioneering research earned him recognition as the father of modern meteorology. His theories continue to underpin weather prediction models used today.

Albert Einstein was a groundbreaking physicist whose work reshaped the foundations of modern science. In 1905, he published his theory of special relativity, introducing the famous equation E=mc². His general theory of relativity, published in 1915, revolutionized understanding of gravity as the curvature of spacetime. Einstein received the 1921 Nobel Prize in Physics for his explanation of the photoelectric effect. He was a passionate advocate for pacifism, civil rights, and Zionism, using his fame to speak on social issues. Einstein’s intellectual legacy extends beyond physics, inspiring countless scientists and thinkers worldwide.

Wacław Sierpiński was a leading Polish mathematician of the 20th century. He made fundamental contributions to set theory, including the study of infinite sets and the concept of Sierpiński sets. He introduced the famous Sierpinski triangle, Sierpinski carpet, and other fractal constructs that influenced modern fractal geometry. His work in number theory produced significant results on prime numbers and the distribution of integers. He authored over 700 publications and multiple monographs that remain influential in mathematics. Sierpiński taught and mentored generations of mathematicians, shaping research in topology and mathematical logic. His legacy endures through the many concepts and theorems bearing his name.

Félix Rodríguez de la Fuente was born in 1928 in Burgos, Spain. He became famous for his passionate TV series 'El Hombre y la Tierra', which brought wildlife into Spanish homes. He founded the Spanish League for the Protection of Nature and later the Félix Rodríguez de la Fuente Foundation, driving early environmental awareness in Spain. His distinctive narration and deep field knowledge inspired generations of naturalists. Tragically, he died in a plane accident in Alaska in 1980 while filming. His legacy endures through educational programs and protected wildlife areas bearing his name.

Tom Stannage was an influential Australian historian and academic celebrated for his scholarship on Western Australian social and cultural history. After earning his doctorate, he held professorships at major universities, where he taught and mentored future historians. Stannage served as director of the Western Australian Museum, overseeing significant exhibitions and research projects that highlighted Indigenous and colonial heritage. He authored several books and articles on urban development, art patronage, and sporting culture in Australia. Stannage's interdisciplinary approach combined rigorous archival work with engaging narrative style. He played a key role in public history initiatives, bringing history to broader audiences through media and public lectures. His contributions have had a lasting impact on how Western Australian history is studied and appreciated.

Heidi Hammel is an American planetary astronomer and science communicator. She has led research on ice giants like Neptune and Uranus using telescopes and spacecraft data. Hammel has coordinated observations of planetary atmospheres and rings, contributing to our understanding of the outer solar system. She has served as a co-investigator on Hubble Space Telescope missions. In addition to research, she is a passionate advocate for science outreach and education. Her engaging public presentations have inspired interest in astronomy worldwide.