The name of Hertha Ayrton may not ring a bell either, but thanks to this English scientist we have electricity as we know it today . Ayrton pioneered the study of the electric arc . She was the third of eight children of a Jewish watchmaker and jeweler who had emigrated from Poland to escape pogroms.
In his studies, he explained that problems with the electric arc were the result of oxygen coming into contact with the carbon rods used to create the arc. This led her to be the first elected woman to be a member of the EEI (Institution of Electrical Engineers).
Ayrton designed other inventions such as mathematical dividers (widely used by architects and engineers), arc lamps and electrodes, and air propulsion. In total, he registered 26 different patents throughout his life.
