In 1946, a South African child who dreamed of being a scientist wrote to Albert Einstein, and they became pen pals. A few letters later, she said she regretted being a girl, apologized for not telling him, and hoped he wouldn’t think less of her. He replied right away, saying “I do not mind that you are a girl, but the main thing is that you yourself do not mind. There is no reason for it.” Source Source 2 Source 3
The little girl, Myfawny Williams, went on to study the genetics of Themeda triandra, a type of grass native to Africa. Photo credit: Julia Wood
