This collection of essays wants to contribute to a growing field of critical assessments of female scientists and their role in history of science. The editors and authors both aim to counter the popular narrative that quantum physics was developed solely by relatively young men. This is also reflected in the anthology’s subtitle, ‘Beyond Knabenphysik’, which picks up on a term used by the public at the time to describe the group of scientists who developed quantum mechanics. The editors point out that the gender connotation of this term was not questioned for a long time, with the historiography of physics instead focusing on the age of the Knabenphysiker (‘boy physicists’). They attribute this to ‘the prevailing stereotype that physicists would be men and scientific genius a masculine attribute’ (p. 5).

The anthology successfully challenges this widely accepted narrative by presenting a broad range of women who were involved in quantum physics research. What makes this collection particularly relevant is that it focuses on women who have hardly been studied and are unknown to a wider audience, rather than on relatively well-known physicists such as Marie Curie, Lise Meitner or Maria Goeppert-Mayer. The women in question are Williamina Fleming, Johanna van Leeuwen, Hertha Sponer, Lucy Mensing, Jane Dewey, Laura Chalk, Elizabeth Monroe Boggs, Katharine Way, Sonja Ashauer, Chien-Shiung Wu, Grete Hermann, Lídia Salgueiro, Carolyn Parker, Freda Friedman Salzman, Maria Lluïsa Canut and Ana María Cetto Kramis. In their introduction, the editors explain that they applied a broad understanding of quantum physics when selecting their case studies. Accordingly, examples are provided ranging from ancient quantum physics, to the development of quantum mechanics, to quantum field theory and nuclear and particle physics (p. 6). Rather than aiming to present a comprehensive list, the editors intend their collection to demonstrate ‘that quantum physics was developed not only by male physicists but also by the contributions of many talented women.’ (p. xvi), as stated in the foreword by 2023 Nobel Prize winner Anne L’Huillier. Furthermore, the contributions feature female scientists from beyond the leading centres of physics in Europe and the United States. The geographical spectrum of quantum physics historiography is considerably broadened by including female researchers from Latin America (Sonja Ashauer and Ana María Cetto Kramis) and from European countries that are rarely prominent in the context of quantum physics, such as Portugal (Lídia Salgueiro) and Spain (Maria Lluïsa Canut).

The individual contributions are as diverse as the women themselves. Whereas some chapters focus primarily on the women’s physical or philosophical research, others place greater emphasis on the women’s biographies. Additionally, some chapters critically examine the methodology and resulting narratives of quantum physics historiography up to now – such as the use of black counterarchives to access previously overlooked sources (Carolyn Parker), the critical contextualization and use of oral history (Ana María Cetto Kramis) or explanations of how certain sources and archives should be analysed (Katherine Way). The contribution on Lídia Salgueiro focuses mostly on the Laboratory of Physics of the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon and demonstrates that the history of women in quantum physics can also be written by way of an institution. Furthermore, some of the contributions discuss whether their protagonist has or has not received historiographical attention (such as Hertha Sponer, Carolyn Parker and Maria Lluïsa Canut). Although a background in physics will simplify reading these interesting studies, this is not a prerequisite, especially in the chapters focusing more squarely on the scientists’ biographies, such as chapters on Johanna van Leeuwen, Lucy Mensing and Jane Dewey. Due to the wide range of themes addressed in the individual portrayals, this collection will appeal to a wide range of audiences, including physicists, historians, researchers in gender and women’s studies and philosophers.

Despite the wide range of women, topics and methodologies, the editors stress in the introduction that they are united by general themes: the similar experiences (of discrimination) that women have had in science and physics, but also in the history of physics. This includes the exclusion of women from male networks, which makes it more difficult for them to have successful careers; the attribution of less talent or intellectual ability to women, which puts them at a disadvantage in disciplines such as physics that place particular emphasis on talent; a male scientific culture characterized by competition; and interrupted careers due to the other roles that women have to fulfil (wife, mother and so on). In the history of physics and especially in heroic narratives, women tend to be invisible. This is not only due to the sources, but also reinforced by their lower or less valued positions in academia, as well as the issues that in current historiography are addressed by newer concepts such as intersectionality or collaborative couples.

These are well-known findings from women’s and gender studies and history. However, as the authors rightly point out, to date, women in general and gender-related research have hardly been considered in the historiography of quantum physics, which has instead continued to focus primarily on a small group of men. While the editors aim to address this shortcoming in the historiography of quantum physics, the collection also makes clear that this is no easy task. Indeed, in some instances, the focus is sometimes almost exclusively on male physicists and their research, particularly when explaining and contextualizing the physical developments of the time. This type of presentation is difficult to avoid, but it also makes it very clear how isolated women usually were in a male environment. It would be desirable if further works of this kind were to appear in the future, but also if the aspect of gender research were to be incorporated more generally into the history of (quantum) physics and further developed. The same applies to the question of masculinity – physics is, after all, a discipline which is perceived as particularly masculine, providing a fascinating starting point. This collection of essays provides an important point of departure for a much-needed reassessment.