Catherine Thimmesh

Friends come in all shapes and sizes (even species!) seen in tender photographs of animal friendships. Gentle rhymes and informative text allow finish the portrait of friends.

It is said that necessity is the mother of invention. And the women readers meet here certainly seem to support that notion. Have you ever seen a baby in a “snugli”? It was invented by a woman who wanted to keep her baby calm. How about “Scotchgard”? This woman came up with it to help wipe away stains. Meet these inventors and others who had good ideas, skill, and stick-to-it-ness.

From pulsars to a new solar-heat method for pasteurizing water (recently developed by a 14-year-old), breakthrough insights recorded by female investigators have illumined our world.