Darleane Hoffman was a trailblazing nuclear chemist whose work helped to extend the periodic table and deepen our understanding of the heaviest elements. The transuranic elements - those with an atomic number higher than uranium's 92 - are all unstable and radioactive. Her discovery of naturally occurring plutonium-244 overturned the long-held premise that uranium-238 was the heaviest element found in nature. Her research influenced our understanding of nuclear fission, advanced cancer therapies and improved nuclear-waste-management protocols. She has died aged 98.
The Invisible Mammal tells the captivating story of a dedicated team of women scientists as they strive to protect North America's bats against a deadly disease rapidly spreading across the continent. The film, directed by San Francisco filmmaker Kristin Tièche and produced by Matthew Podolsky (Sea of Shadows) follows a team of women bat biologists into underground habitats as they work to save a rapidly disappearing species: the little brown bat.
"It was not uncommon for boxes of 10 books at a time to arrive from the library, and her office could be the model for any illustration of books and articles literally spilling off tables and shelves."