Eva Ekeblad would be celebrating her 293rd birthday today.
Swedish scientist Eva Ekeblad would be celebrating her 293rd birthday today and Google has created a Doodle in her honour.
Born in the first quarter of the 18th century, Ekeblad researched multiple uses for plants.
In 1746, Ekeblad wrote to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences on her discoveries of how to make flour and alcohol out of potatoes. Her work paved the way for gluten-free baking and alcohols such as potato wine and vodka.
Ekeblad's work not only made potatoes a staple food in Sweden, but also increased the supply of wheat, rye and barley, helping reduce the frequency of famine.
For her contributions, she was elected to Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in 1748, becoming the first woman to receive the honour. The honor was not bestowed on another woman for another 203 years.
However, there are no records of her participation in the meetings of the Academy. In 1751, the Academy came to refer to her as an honorary rather than a full member, as the statutes confined membership to men.