Standing on the shoulders of giants the traces of women geologists in Europe and the United States

Historically, Earth Sciences have always been seen as an almost exclusively male discipline. The lack of access to formal studies by women, the fact of having to go to the field, often unaccompanied, being exposed to inclement weather and having to use appropriate equipment and clothing, apparently left them out. The number of women who devoted themselves to geology before the 18th century, even if only tangentially, is almost insignificant compared to that of men, although in the following centuries these numbers gradually increased. Martine De Berterau, Maria Hack, Jane Kilby Welsh, Charlotte Murchison or Maria Ogilvie Gordon, together with many others, dared to challenge the pre[1]established norms in Europe and the United States and managed to excel in their fields. Knowing their contributions and also the difficulties they had to face can help to put into perspective how geology has evolved over time and the role these women have played.