Marie-Sophie Germain

Marie-Sophie Germain, born April 1, 1776 to a French merchant, Ambroise-Francois Germain, "was probably the most profoundly intellectual woman that France has ever produced" (H.J. Mozans qtd. by Singh). Her interest in mathematics was inspired by her readings of the tragic death of Archimedes, who was murdered at the hands of a Roman soldier because he was too engrossed in a geometric problem to take notice of his situation. Germain immediately dove into the great mathematical works, teaching herself the basics of number theory and calculus. Unfortunately, being a woman of that era meant t…