Google Doodle Honors Swedish Scientist Eva Ekeblad On Her 293rd Birthday

We can always count on Google to change up their logo for any important occasion or milestone. So it's no surprise that today, 10th July, Google is paying homage to Swedish scientist Eva Ekeblad on her 293rd birthday.

"Today we celebrate Eva Ekeblad’s 293rd birthday. The Swedish scientist brought potatoes, then a greenhouse curiosity, to the people," the company writes. "Eva discovered the starch was humble but mighty – potatoes could be ground into flour or distilled into spirits. Her discovery helped reduce famine in years to come."

But that's not all: Google adds that Ekeblad was the first woman elected to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in 1748. It took another 203 years for a woman to receive the same recognition.

In honour of Ekeblad's "ingenuity and her scientific achievements," Google Doodle has gone all out for a well-deserved birthday celebration.

Google's tribute to Ekeblad is especially meaningful and important because, despite the fact that it's 2017, women remain underrepresented in STEM fields. Furthermore, female pioneers in the sciences don't receive nearly enough credit or attention. Despite her long list of achievements, Ekeblad is hardly a household name.

Although a Google tribute alone won't change the course of women's future in the sciences, it raises awareness and exposure about their contributions to the field, many of which have been ignored and left out of textbooks and conversations.

Happy Birthday to Eva Ekeblad, and props to Google for introducing a science icon to a new generation.