Before the abacus, calculators, and smartphones, we had the human brain only to solve mathematical problems. Unfortunately, lately most people today depend on technology for simple subtraction and multiplication problems. Yet, some people have the ability to perform mathematical calculations mentally without the use of any tools, even without pens or papers. Mental calculation often involves the use of specific techniques devised for specific types of problems.

Dr. Mariam Matar, the Emirati scientist, is one of the UAE’s finest public servants. After working in several public health positions, Matar launched a series of outreach initiatives, including “UAE Free of Thalassemia 2012”. She has also launched the UAE Down’s Syndrome Association in 2005 and the UAE Genetic Diseases Association in 2006, through which she has been able to spread awareness regarding the risks of genetic diseases and specifically Thalassemia⁽¹⁾, which is a common genetic disorder in the UAE.

Wangari Maathai, the Kenyan environmentalist and feminist, received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004, making her the first African woman to receive the Prize for her actions to promote sustainable development, democracy, and peace. She was the first woman in East and Central Africa to earn a doctorate degree from the University of Nairobi, where she also taught veterinary anatomy. She became the Head of the Department of Veterinary Anatomy and an Associate Professor, becoming the first woman in the region to hold such positions.

The German physicist and mathematician, Maria Goeppert-Mayer is prominent for her numerous contributions to the field of physics for which she earned the Nobel Prize in 1963. She was the first woman to win the Nobel Prize for theoretical physics, and second woman in history to win a Nobel Prize after Marie Curie. She is most famous for proposing the nuclear shell model of the atomic nucleus—a model of the atomic nucleus that provides a detailed description of the structure of the nucleus in terms of energy levels.

Virginia Apgar is a scientist who is believed to have changed the face of medicine significantly by her contributions in the field of anesthesiology and neonatology. The American physician is best known for developing the Apgar Newborn Scoring System, also known as the Apgar Score; a simple, quick method for judging newborn viability. The newborn’s appearance color, reflex irritability, muscle tone, and respiration are assessed one minute after birth and again after five minutes; low scores indicate possible health issues. Her test has saved countless infants, laid the foundations of neonatology, and discovered potentially grave conditions. She was one of Columbia University’s first female MDs and one of the first American women to specialize in anesthesia.

Meet the inspirational polymath Mae Jemison (born 17 October 1956, Alabama, USA): doctor, chemical engineer, professional dancer, Peace Corps volunteer, teacher, and renowned NASA astronaut. She also happens to be the first African American woman to travel in space.

Water, the source of life, has come under pressure in recent years; many predict that future wars will be fought to gain control over water supplies. 

Summer is on; the weather is getting really hot. Since we are in a vacation season, we will be going on picnics or we will be enjoying the beach, but what food should we eat to stay fresh and cool?

Ruth Benedict is an anthropologist whose theories had a profound influence on cultural anthropology, especially in the area of culture and personality. She can be viewed as a transitional figure in the field of anthropology. She studied the relationships between personality, art, language, and culture, insisting that no trait existed in isolation or self-sufficiency.

Despite the warm sunshine and the much anticipated freedom that accompanies summertime, many people can actually feel more depressed during the summer. 

Mary Somerville is a female astronomer and mathematician who played a vital role in the discovery of the planet Neptune, at a time when women’s participation in science was discouraged.

Barbara McClintock revolutionized the field of plant genetics, receiving the Nobel Prize in Physiology in 1983 for discovering “mobile genetic elements”. The science of genetics, to which McClintock made groundbreaking contributions, both experimental and conceptual, has come to dominate all of the biological sciences; from molecular biology, through cell and developmental biology, to medicine and agriculture.

Ayah Bdeir is a woman who is passionate about making hardware accessible to people of all ages and walks of life. She studied computer engineering at the American University of Beirut and went on to earn her Master’s of Science from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). When she started to learn about electric circuits in university, she realized many people give up on the subject because they found it too hard to understand. From this point onwards she has been on a mission to make that complex idea accessible to all people, whether you are into engineering or not.