Émilie du Châtelet

Émilie du Châtelet was an 18th-century French philosopher, mathematician, and physicist, best known for her translation and commentary on Isaac Newton's "Principia Mathematica." She made significant contributions to the understanding of energy and motion, introducing concepts like kinetic energy. A prominent figure in the Enlightenment, du Châtelet was also an advocate for women's intellectual rights, challenging societal norms of her time. Her work combined rigorous scientific inquiry with deep philosophical insight, making her one of the most important female thinkers in the history of science, though her contributions were often overlooked in her era and beyond.