Paris to add names of 72 women scientists to the Eiffel Tower
The City of Paris announced that 72 women scientists will have their names added to the Eiffel Tower, joining the 72 men originally inscribed by Gustave Eiffel over 130 years ago.
The City of Paris has unveiled a list of 72 women scientists whose names will be engraved on the Eiffel Tower, correcting a long-standing gender imbalance on the monument.
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Their names will join those of 72 male scientists originally inscribed by Gustave Eiffel more than 130 years ago.
Mayor Anne Hidalgo announced the project on Monday, describing it as a symbolic step towards greater equality. The selected women span nearly 250 years of scientific history, from 18th-century obstetrician Angélique du Coudray to more recent figures, according to the association Femmes & Sciences, which helped compile the list.
The proposal must still be reviewed by France’s academies of science, technology and medicine before final approval and the start of works. The names will be engraved in gold lettering, at the first level of the tower, using the same typography as the existing male names.
City officials say the initiative aims to counter the so-called “Matilda effect”, which refers to the historical undervaluing of women’s contributions to science. When the tower was built in 1889 as a “pantheon of science”, no women were included, despite figures such as mathematician Sophie Germain being well known at the time.
While a few famous names like Marie Curie and Rosalind Franklin appear on the list, most of the women honoured are lesser known to the public. Paris officials say the project is broadly supported and intended as a lasting tribute to women’s role in scientific progress.