One morning last week, our daughter called and asked if I would drive our granddaughter to high school. I eagerly took on the taxi duty, if only to help share the load of ferrying kids to school, but mostly for the chance to catch up with our granddaughter. During the trip to school that morning, I learned that she was enjoying her drama, phys ed and French classes. But our granddaughter’s favourite subject was science.

“I did an essay on Chien-Shiung Wu,” she said, “and got 100 per cent.”

“I’ve never heard of her,” I admitted.

“She was known as the ‘first lady of physics,’” she said proudly. (more…)