Origins & Early Life

Laura Maria Caterina Bassi Veratti (29 October 1711 – 20 February 1778) was an Italian physicist and academic. Recognized and depicted as "Minerva" (goddess of wisdom), she was the first woman to have a doctorate in science, and the second woman in the world to earn the Doctor of Philosophy degree. Working at the University of Bologna, she was the first salaried female teacher in a university. At one time the highest paid employee of the university, by the end of her life Bassi held two other professorships.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

She was also the first female member of any scientific establishment, when she was elected to the Academy of Sciences of the Institute of Bologna in 1732 at 21. Bassi did not receive formal education; instead, she was privately tutored from the age of five until she was twenty. By then, she was well-versed in major disciplines, including sciences and mathematics. Noticing her ability, Prospero Lambertini, the Archbishop of Bologna (later Pope Benedict XIV), became her patron. With Lambertini's arrangement, she publicly defended forty-nine theses before professors of the University of Bologna on 17 April 1732, for which she was awarded a doctoral degree on 12 May.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

A month later,...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• David Hume — Contemporary (Born in 1711) (1711): Scottish philosopher renowned for empiricism, skepticism, and naturalism.
• Kitty Clive — Contemporary (Born in 1711) (1711): Pioneering English actress and star comedienne of the 18th-century British stage.
• Mary Rowlandson — Contemporary (Died in 1711) (1711): Colonial American woman whose captivity narrative shaped early American literature.
• Carl Linnaeus — Contemporary (Died in 1778) (1778): Father of modern taxonomy, systematized the naming of life forms.
• Humphry Davy — Contemporary (Born in 1778) (1778): Pioneering chemist who established electrochemistry and isolated key elements.
• Jean-Jacques Rousseau — Contemporary (Died in 1778) (1778): Genevan philosopher whose works shaped Enlightenment thought and modern political theory.
• A. J. Ayer — Shared historical date (10-29 · Born) (1910): Influential English philosopher known for logical positivism and emotivism.
• Dominick Dunne — Shared historical date (10-29 · Born) (1925): American writer and journalist known for high society crime fiction.
• Adalbert Gyrowetz — Shared historical date (02-20 · Born) (1763): Czech-Austrian composer known for symphonies and string quartets.
• Ansel Adams — Shared historical date (02-20 · Born) (1902): Iconic photographer and environmentalist celebrated for the American West's landscapes.
• 1711 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1711
• October 29 (10-29) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on October 29
• 1778 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1778
• February 20 (02-20) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on February 20