Sophie Germain was born on April 1, 1776 the daughter of a merchant, Ambroise-Francois Germain. Outside of her work, her life was to be dominated by the turmoil of the French Revolution.

When Sophie Germain’s father found out she was obsessed with mathematics, he confiscated her candles and put out the fire in her bedroom. But after she was discovered one morning fast asleep at ...