The Industrial Revolution

British mathematician (1815-1852), pioneer of computing and programming. She wrote the first algorithm intended to be executed by a machine, working on Charles Babbage's Analytical Engine. Her legacy makes her a founding figure of theoretical computer science.

Catalan architect

British mathematician (1791–1871), Charles Babbage is the pioneer of modern computing. He designed the Analytical Engine, the first programmable machine in history, and the Difference Engine, both conceptual ancestors of the computer.

A 19th-century English naturalist, Charles Darwin revolutionized biology by proposing the theory of evolution by natural selection. His observations during the voyage of the Beagle and his subsequent work laid the foundations of modern biology.

Charlotte Brontë est une romancière britannique du XIXe siècle, auteure de Jane Eyre (1847), chef-d'œuvre de la littérature victorienne. Fille de pasteur dans le Yorkshire, elle publie sous pseudonyme masculin (Currer Bell) pour se faire accepter dans le monde littéraire. Son œuvre explore avec force la condition féminine, l'indépendance et la passion.

British translator and businesswoman (1812–1895), celebrated for her English translation of the Mabinogion, a foundational collection of medieval Welsh myths and legends. She also managed the Dowlais ironworks in Wales, becoming one of the first women to run a major industrial enterprise.

French novelist, journalist and literary critic (1840-1902), founder of the Naturalist movement. He is the author of Germinal and L'Assommoir, landmark novels of the 19th century that expose the living conditions of the working class. Zola took a decisive political stand during the Dreyfus Affair by publishing his famous open letter 'J'Accuse'.

British writer

French journalist and feminist activist (1803–1844), Flora Tristan championed the emancipation of women and the condition of the working class in the 19th century. She was a pioneer of feminism and socialism, placing the question of women at the heart of political and social debate.

Russian writer

German physicist (1787-1854) who discovered the fundamental relationship between voltage, current, and electrical resistance. His law, formulated in 1827, became one of the foundational laws of electricity and bears his name.

19th-century British mathematician and logician, founder of Boolean algebra. He revolutionized logic by translating it into a mathematical system, laying the foundations of modern computing.

Harriet Taylor Mill (1807-1858) est une philosophe et féministe britannique, figure majeure de la pensée libérale du XIXe siècle. Collaboratrice et épouse de John Stuart Mill, elle a profondément influencé ses œuvres, notamment sur la liberté individuelle et l'émancipation des femmes.

French novelist (1799–1850) and founder of literary realism. He created The Human Comedy, a vast novelistic panorama of French society in the 19th century, comprising more than 90 interconnected works.

A French writer of the 19th century, Jules Verne is considered the father of science fiction. His adventure novels blending exploration, technology, and imagination captivated generations of readers and continue to influence literature and cinema.

German philosopher, sociologist, and economist (1818–1883), Karl Marx is the founder of historical materialism and the critical analysis of capitalism. He revolutionized political thought by proposing a theory of class struggle and social transformation.

French chemist and biologist (1822–1895), founder of modern microbiology. He demonstrated the role of microorganisms in diseases and fermentation, revolutionizing medicine and hygiene. His discoveries led to the development of vaccines and pasteurization.

Mary Anning est une paléontologue autodidacte anglaise qui, dès l'enfance, collectait des fossiles sur les falaises de Lyme Regis. Elle découvrit les premiers squelettes complets d'ichtyosaure et de plésiosaure, révolutionnant la compréhension des espèces disparues. Malgré ses contributions majeures, elle fut longtemps exclue des cercles scientifiques en raison de son sexe et de sa condition modeste.

Peerage person ID=695563

A self-taught British physicist and chemist (1791–1867), Faraday discovered electromagnetic induction and laid the foundations of modern electrical engineering. His work on electric and magnetic fields inspired Maxwell's theories.

Nephew of Napoleon I, he was elected President of the Republic in 1848, then seized power through a coup d'état on December 2, 1851, before proclaiming the Second Empire. His reign profoundly transformed France: the modernization of Paris under Haussmann, industrial and railway expansion — until the defeat at Sedan in 1870.

Journaliste américaine pionnière, Nellie Bly s'est illustrée par son journalisme d'investigation undercover, notamment en se faisant interner dans un asile psychiatrique pour en dénoncer les conditions. En 1889, elle réalise le tour du monde en 72 jours, battant le record fictif de Phileas Fogg.

Serbian-American inventor and engineer (1856-1943), Nikola Tesla is one of the central figures of the electrical revolution. His work on alternating current and his technological innovations transformed modern electricity and energy transmission.

Sofia Kovalevskaya (1850–1891) was the first woman to earn a doctorate in mathematics in Europe and the first female professor of mathematics at a modern university. A pioneer in analysis and mechanics, she broke through the barriers of the male academic world to establish herself as a leading mathematician.

Victoria ascended to the British throne at 18 in 1837 and reigned for 63 years, becoming one of the most influential monarchs in history. Her reign coincided with the height of the British Empire and the Industrial Revolution. She gave her name to an entire era: the Victorian age.