July 24

Born in 1574 to a family of scholars, Thomas Platter the Younger studied medicine and established himself as a respected physician in Basel. He traveled extensively across Europe, keeping detailed journals that offer invaluable insights into 16th- and 17th-century social life, education, and medical treatment. Platter served as a city doctor and taught anatomy, blending observational acuity with humanist learning. His writings bridge personal narrative and scholarly commentary, making him a key figure for historians of medicine and early modern culture.

Born in 1786 in France, Nicollet studied mathematics before dedicating himself to exploration in North America in the 1830s. He led several expeditions to map the Mississippi River basin, creating the first scientifically accurate maps of the region. His surveys combined astronomical observations with local Indigenous knowledge, revealing detailed information on geography and culture. Nicollet's publications, including his 1843 atlas, were celebrated for their precision and artistic quality. Despite struggling with ill health, his work laid the foundation for later U.S. government surveys and remains a key milestone in American cartography.

Born in 1794 in Copenhagen, Forchhammer became a pioneering mineralogist and professor of geology. He formulated the principle known today as Forchhammer's principle, stating that the chemical composition of natural water remains constant. His research on Danish geological formations advanced understanding of rock strata and mineral deposits. Forchhammer served as director of the Royal Geological Survey and taught at the University of Copenhagen. His contributions influenced later developments in geochemistry and environmental science.

Born in 1826 in Radom, Poland, Bloch built a successful banking career before turning to military analysis. He served in the Russian government’s railway administration and observed warfare trends across Europe. Bloch’s 1898 work 'Future War and its Economic Results' predicted stalemate warfare and the horrors of trench combat. His visionary analysis influenced debates on military strategy and contributed to early disarmament movements. Recognized as a pioneer of military sociology, Bloch’s writings remain influential in conflict studies.

Born in 1851, Schottky made foundational contributions to the theory of abelian functions and algebraic curves. He introduced the Schottky problem, investigating which abelian varieties come from Jacobian varieties. Schottky’s work influenced the development of complex analysis and modern algebraic geometry. He held academic positions in Berlin and Breslau, mentoring a generation of mathematicians. His theorems and conjectures remain central topics in current mathematical research.

Born in 1856 in Paris, Picard made landmark contributions to the theory of functions of a complex variable. His Picard theorems describe the value distribution of entire functions and remain fundamental in complex analysis. Picard also worked on differential equations and algebraic geometry, advancing various mathematical fields. He served as a professor at the Sorbonne and later directed the Institut Henri Poincaré. Honored with membership in the French Academy of Sciences, Picard shaped mathematics in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Born in Michigan in 1889, Driscoll joined the U.S. Navy's Code and Signal Section during World War I. She played a crucial role in decrypting Japanese naval ciphers and earned the nickname 'the first lady of naval cryptanalysis.' Over her career, she taught and mentored many cryptanalysts who would go on to win acclaim during World War II. Driscoll's analytical skills and innovative techniques laid the groundwork for modern signals intelligence. She retired after more than three decades of service and passed away in 1971, leaving a lasting legacy in the intelligence community.

Britton Chance was a leading American biophysicist whose groundbreaking work on enzyme kinetics and molecular spectroscopy transformed the field of biomedical research. He played a pivotal role in developing techniques for measuring enzyme reactions and photon migration in tissues. Chance founded the bioengineering and biophotonics research at the University of Pennsylvania. In addition to his scientific achievements, he competed as a sailor and earned a gold medal at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics. His interdisciplinary approach bridged physics, biology, and medicine, influencing generations of researchers. He continued to publish and mentor students well into his later years, leaving a lasting legacy in both science and sport.

Frances Oldham Kelsey was a Canadian pharmacologist and physician who joined the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 1960. She is celebrated for her rigorous safety review that halted the U.S. approval of the morning sickness drug thalidomide due to insufficient data on its effects. Her insistence on further animal studies saved thousands of children from severe birth defects. Kelsey received the President's Distinguished Federal Civilian Service Award in 1962 for her work. She continued her career as a medical researcher and policy advocate, focusing on drug safety and ethics. Kelsey's dedication set new standards for pharmaceutical regulation and inspired generations of women in science and government service.

He began his career at NASA in 1959, applying his expertise in aerospace engineering. He served as spacecraft project manager for the Mercury and Gemini programs. He later led the Apollo spacecraft project, contributing to the success of lunar missions. In the 1970s, he oversaw the development of the Skylab missions and early Space Shuttle booster programs. His leadership and technical insight helped shape the United States' crewed space exploration efforts. He retired after a distinguished career, leaving a lasting legacy in aerospace project management.

Born in Athens, he studied anthropology and archaeology at European universities. He led excavations at Theopetra Cave that revealed human occupation dating back over 130,000 years. His interdisciplinary approach combined archaeology, geology, and paleoanthropology. He founded the Anthropological Society of Greece and the Paleoanthropology Institute in Athens. He published influential research on human evolution and Paleolithic cultures in Greece. He received international recognition for his groundbreaking contributions to European prehistory.

Zara Mints (1927-1990) was a Russian-Estonian philologist and academic celebrated for her in-depth research in linguistic studies. She held positions at major universities in Estonia, where she mentored generations of scholars in philology and comparative linguistics. Mints published a series of influential papers and monographs on morphology and syntax of Finno-Ugric languages. Her research helped deepen understanding of the historical development of the Estonian language. She was recognized with academic awards and contributed to the promotion of Estonian linguistic heritage during the Soviet era. Mints' legacy endures through her students and ongoing scholarship in Uralic linguistics.