NASA Mathematician Katherine Johnson Turns 100

NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson turned 100 yesterday - the same day that celebrates Women’s Equality. Johnson calculated the trajectory for America's first trip to space by hand and was the inspiration behind the 2016 Oscar-nominated film, Hidden Figures. Johnson and several other women, especially women of color, comprised the Computer Pool, an extremely talented group who worked behind the scenes to provide mathematical data for NASA’s first space missions and programs before computers became widely available. Although her contributions were crucial in the success of these missions, her work was barely recognized in pop culture until Hidden Figures brought to light her extreme intelligence. Her achievements led to her earning the National Medal of Freedom in 2015. Happy birthday, Katherine!