
Inge Lehmann (1888–1993) was a prominent Danish seismologist, best known for his groundbreaking discovery of the Earth's inner core. She was born in Copenhagen and grew up in an intellectual family, where her father, Alfred Lehmann, was a renowned psychologist. Lehmann showed an early interest in mathematics and science, and she studied mathematics and science at the University of Copenhagen and later at Cambridge.
Her great discovery: Inge Lehmann's best-known scientific contribution came in 1936, when she proposed that the Earth has a solid inner core surrounded by a liquid outer core. At the time, it was thought that the Earth's core was only liquid, but by analyzing seismic waves (particularly P-waves) from earthquakes, she discovered anomalies that suggested some waves were being reflected by a solid inner core. Her paper on this subject, “P' (Seismic Waves), introduced a whole new understanding of the Earth's internal structure.
Career and Recognition: Lehmann worked as a seismologist at the Geodetic Institute in Denmark and became a leading figure in her field, despite the fact that it was a time when women in the natural sciences were often marginalized. She was internationally recognized and received many honors, including the **Emil Wiechert Medal** in 1964 and the **Medal for Research Excellence of the American Geophysical Union** in 1971.
ArvInge Lehmann's discovery of the Earth's inner core revolutionized the understanding of the planet's interior and laid the foundation for much of modern seismological research. Her work is still fundamental in the study of Earth's internal dynamics.
There are now several honors named after her, such as the "Inge Lehmann Medal" awarded by the American Geophysical Union for outstanding achievements in seismology. Her life and career are also an important part of the discussion about women's contributions to science.