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By John G. Radzilowicz
The title of this piece is actually an old Chinese
proverb. It speaks simply and clearly to the belief � often discounted in
western history – that women can and do make an equal contribution with men
to the human experience. It�s a poetic line that can be used to make this
point in reference to all areas of human endeavor, from art to music to
literature and more.
But, of course, it is especially appropriate when applied
to the quest to explore and understand the cosmos. For this reason, Women Hold Up Half the Sky is also the
title of the newest multimedia program now playing at Carnegie Science Center�s
Buhl Planetarium. In this show we explore the history of astronomy and space
science from the perspective of the role that women have played in this grand
effort to understand the universe and to reach for the stars. We examine
their great contributions and some of their great struggles as well.
It�s an opportunity to learn about the key contributions
women have made to the first true science throughout human history. Women
like comet hunter Caroline Herschel whose work was often overlooked because
of her more famous brother, or Annie Jump Cannon whose star classification
system was accepted the world over, but who waited decades for a permanent
appointment at Harvard. And, perhaps even more importantly, it�s a chance to
learn about the women who carry on this exciting work today.
In this program, you�ll learn about the trailblazers of
today, those who wrestle with great cosmic questions at the dawn of the 21st
century. People such as Shannon Lucid, the holder of the American and women�s
records for time in space, and Margaret Geller, who has revolutionized our
understanding of the structure of the universe, will tell you about their
work in their own words.� They will
let you see why women do, in fact, hold up half the sky.
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E-mail: carnegiemag@carnegiemuseums.org
