Mary Anning(1799 — 1843)

At the age of fifteen months, Mary Anning was struck by lightning during a violent storm in Lyme Regis. Three people who were with her perished on the spot, but the little girl miraculously survived. Her neighbours attributed her exceptional intelligence and curiosity to this event.

In 1823, Mary Anning discovered the first complete plesiosaur skeleton ever unearthed. The palaeontologist William Conybeare, who published the findings under his name alone, nonetheless acknowledged that without her, the discovery would never have been made. Mary received neither official credit nor compensation commensurate with the scientific importance of the find.

In 1833, during one of her daily outings along the cliffs, a rockfall killed her faithful dog Tray and very nearly took her own life as well. She nonetheless continued her research in the aftermath of this tragedy, as selling fossils was the only way for her to support her family.

The English tongue twister 'She sells seashells by the seashore' is said to have been inspired by Mary Anning, who did indeed sell her fossil finds to tourists and collectors along the seafront at Lyme Regis.

Despite her groundbreaking discoveries, Mary Anning was never accepted as a full member of the Geological Society of London, which was reserved for men. She was, however, one of the first women to receive an annual pension from the British Association for the Advancement of Science, shortly before her death.