Discoveries and achievements
18th-century astronomy, Halley’s Comet calculations, and Nicole-Reine Lepaute’s concrete role.
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The Matilda Effect:
Nicole-Reine Lepaute
Women in science have often been erased from History. This site pays tribute to Nicole-Reine Lepaute, an 18th-century French astronomer who calculated the return of Halley’s Comet with great accuracy—yet never received the recognition she deserved.
Biography — Nicole-Reine Lepaute (1723–1788)
Nicole-Reine Lepaute was an 18th-century French astronomer and mathematician. Passionate about science, she worked with Jérôme Lalande and Alexis Clairaut to compute the return of Halley’s Comet (1759) with remarkable precision.
She also contributed to astronomical calendars and timekeeping for royal clockmakers. Despite her talent, her work was often credited to her male colleagues.
“Forgetting Nicole-Reine Lepaute means forgetting part of our scientific history.”
— Educational summary (Matilda site)
The Matilda Effect describes the struggle for recognition of women scientists and their contributions. To learn more, explore our articles and glossary.
Learn more…Explore the content
A selection of articles, cultural references and resources to better understand the Matilda Effect.
Women in science in literature
How books portray (or overlook) women scientists’ journeys.
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Science communication
Discover the universe through stories, maps and accessible explanations.
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Contact (1997)
When science fiction finally puts a woman scientist at the center of the story.
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Book: 17 women Nobel Prize winners in science
A written tribute to labs and often-invisible scientific careers.
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