The unknown guardian angel .....

Von Smallhausen · 22 Jun 2014 at 15:25

Not many people may have heard of Stephanie Kwolek who has died aged 90.

As the inventor of of Kevlar, there are many armed forces personnel and police officers who are grateful to this lady for quite literally saving their lives.

http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-27951043

I hope she has found peace.

Eurofighter · 22 Jun 2014 at 15:29

Great invention. RIP.

Kreeeee · 22 Jun 2014 at 15:30

Dis86 · 22 Jun 2014 at 15:54

Add anyone that uses a chainsaw to that list. Kevlar pants probably saved the life of a few people I know.
We also use the stuff at work though not for safety purposes but because of its amazing tensile strength.

arknor · 22 Jun 2014 at 16:00

not had a puncture on either of my bikes so far thanks to kevlar.

R.I.P

Andy90 · 22 Jun 2014 at 17:04

Saw this the other day - you probably couldn't put a figure on the number of lives her invention has saved - RIP

Midlife Crisis · 22 Jun 2014 at 17:08

Many a motorcyclists bacon has been saved by this wonderful material R.I.P.

adolf hamster · 22 Jun 2014 at 18:18

and aircraft, kevlar amongst other things is one of the ingredients for some carbon fibre recipes. its also a component of hybrid tank armour.

one very useful invention and the type of ingenuity that built the world we live in.

rest in peace.

antijoke · 22 Jun 2014 at 20:20

RIP.

I'm sure her and Mikhail Kalashnikov will be having a ball upstairs.

Burnsy2023 · 22 Jun 2014 at 22:13

A great example of a female scientist and engineer who changed the world. RIP

Judgeneo · 22 Jun 2014 at 23:52

People like her deserve a lot more recognition, thanks for letting me know who she was OP.

RIP.

Tefal · 23 Jun 2014 at 00:35

Burnsy2023 said:
A great example of a female scientist and engineer who changed the world. RIP

why the need to qualify the sentence with "female" out of curiosity?

andi · 23 Jun 2014 at 00:38

Lots of use in motorsports too.

The list could go on and on, and the number of lives owed to her discovery is enormous.

Tefal · 23 Jun 2014 at 00:44

andi said:
Lots of use in sport and motorsports too.

The list could go on and on, and the number of lives owed to her discovery is enormous.

the toe caps of our new saftey boots are made out of it too. sooo much lighter and more comfy than the steelies.

Burnsy2023 · 23 Jun 2014 at 08:24

Tefal said:
why the need to qualify the sentence with "female" out of curiosity?

Because it's notoriously difficult to get ladies into STEM subjects, it's very much male dominated. Having examples like this can only help change that.