Laura Bassi: The Woman Who Brought Newtonian Physics to ItalyThe story of Italy’s first Professoressa Laura Bassi
Newtonian physics consists of three foundational laws of motion that describe how massive bodies move and interact. Newton published these laws in his work Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica in 1687, and at the time, they were revolutionary. Today, Newton is known worldwide, but there was a time in the late seventeenth century and early eighteenth century when he was only known in parts of the world, excluding Italy.
That is until the brilliant Italian physicist, and academic Laura Maria Katerina Bassi became one of his greatest advocates. Bassi, the brilliant Italian physicist and academic, was born around October 29, 1711, and became the first woman ever in the history of the world to hold an academic chair and become the highest-paid lecturer of her time at the University of Bologna.
Bassi was raised in modest surroundings by her parents Rosa Marie Cesarei and Giuseppe Bassi. Her father was a lawyer from Modena. She attended elementary school, and upon completing that, she began to take private lessons. She studied from her cousin Father Lorenzo Stagani, who taught her arithmetic, French, and Latin. She also learned from the family doctor Gaetano Tacconi for seven years as she mastered the sciences, mathematics, and philosophy. However, her relationship with Tacconi began to decay as she found interest in Newtonian physics, which Tacconi adamantly dismissed.
He wanted her to focus on something less controversial, specifically from the Cartesian teachings. Regardless, her curiosity for Newtonian theories moved her forward. It inspired her and spurred her into the academic limelight. No doubt she was incredibly learned, a prodigy, and an intellectual’s intellectual. Bassi became so famous for her acumen that in March 1732, she joined Bologna’s Academy of Sciences. On April 17, 1732, she publicly defended 49 theses in the Palace of the Elders (Sala degli Anziani) at the public Palazzo.
This event was her breakout moment. Bassi was 21 years old ready to take on academics. She defended 49 theses, which included six theses on logic, 16 theses on metaphysics, nine theses on topics related to philosophy and religion, and 18 theses devoted to physics.
A month later, in May of 1732, the University of Bologna awarded Bassi her doctoral degree. Another month later, she defended 12 more theses, which earned her the unprecedented position of lecturer at the University of Bologna. The defense of a thesis was much different than that it is today. Before her defense, she had written several essays that encompassed these topics. Her defense encompassed her responses to a series of philosophical and scientific questions that the university’s professors presented to her. Unlike the graduate-level theses written today, her research was not original.
Much like the societal pressure that Hypatia endured, which led to her declaration of virginity, Bassi grappled with her reputation as a female scientist. She wanted to maintain her work in science. However, the university was limiting her opportunities to provide reports on her research and give regular lectures. Because of this, she had to teach from her home.
Additionally, the university was pushing her to write poetry and provide commentaries on literature. These two areas of academics were not her passion. In a letter to Flamino Scarselli, she wrote, “I fear that I would gravely offend the Muses were I to present myself as their servant who have the honor of seeing them merely in the distance fleetingly.”
Experimental physics tugged at her heart. It encompassed her mind and filled her with a steadfast passion for experimental science. So, unlike Hypatia, who taught in Alexandria in 400 CE and chose virginity because it gave the impression of pure, virginal dedication to her role as a professor, teacher, philosopher, and academic, Bassi decided to marry.
Marriage would allow her to visit her colleagues and enabled them to visit her without any public scrutiny, judgments, or apprehensions. And so Bassi married Giuseppe Verratti, who was also a scientist. He was not nearly as brilliant as her. Many commented that she married somebody who was not her intellectual equal. However, he was scientifically curious, which was important to her.
They worked together in their research facility based out of their home and kept up with societal expectations. Bassi gave birth to 12 children. Sadly, only five of those children survived infancy into adulthood. Between raising children, continuing her research, and maintaining her position at the University of Bologna, her opportunities were dwindling. Then she met Prospera Lambertini, who would eventually go on to become Pope Benedict XIV. The pope, who was a big supporter of the sciences, became her greatest champion.
In 1745, he financially supported a research and experimental group called the Benedettini. Bassi hoped to become a member of this elite group of scientists. However, her husband was elected to the Benedettini instead. After 12 years, she had enough. She approached the pope and asked if she could be added as a twenty-fifth member. The Pope unyieldingly agreed to let her become a member despite the pushback that he endured from existing members of the Benedettina. As a member of the Benedettina Research Group, she now had the platform that she needed to deliver annual reports on her scientific research. These reports included her work on hydrodynamics, Newton’s light refraction, and Boyle’s law of gases.
In her lifetime, Bassi authored 28 papers. Most of these papers covered topics in physics and hydraulics. Voltaire highly respected her. In a letter to her, Voltaire wrote, “There is no Bassi in London, and I would be much happier to be added to your Academy of Bologna than that of the English, even though it has produced a Newton.”
In 1776, she obtained the position of chair of experimental physics at the University of Bologna. Her husband was given the job as her lab assistant. She became the first woman in the history of the world to hold an academic chair. Additionally, over the years, she had been advocating for herself for more pay. As a result, by the time she took the role of chair, she obtained the highest salary for a lecturer at the university. Sadly, just two years later, she passed away.
If it were not for Bassi, Newton’s theories would not have spread as quickly. In Italy, she was his greatest champion. She was his most prominent defender. Though we don’t have direct evidence of Bassi’s work, we do have her writings, which encompass correspondence on her work. Bassi was passionate about physics. What little time she had raising five children, she committed every spare minute to science and physics. Bassi put the University of Bologna back on the map, and through her work, she advocated for women in physics. Thus, Professoressa Laura Bassi left a remarkable legacy and a life story that, even in the twenty-first century, continues to inspire women in STEM.