From the ancient world to the present women have been critical to the progress of science, yet their importance is overlooked, their stories lost, distorted, or actively suppressed. Forces of Nature sets the record straight and charts the fascinating history of women's discoveries in science. In the ancient and medieval world, women served as royal physicians and nurses, taught mathematics, studied the stars, and practiced midwifery. As natural philosophers, physicists, anatomists, and botanists

Profiles six women scientists who persevered in the face of prejudice, including ichthyologist Eugenie Clark and mathematician Katherine Coleman Johnson.

Profiles approximately 250 black Americans who have made contributions to the sciences, including inventors, researchers, award winners, and educators.