Paris Academy of Sciences publishes du Châtelet’s prize essay on fire with honorable mention, the first scientific paper by a woman in its publications.
On 1 January 1738, the Paris Academy of Sciences published the prize papers on the nature of fire, including the essay submitted by Émilie du Châtelet, which received an honorable mention. Her paper appeared alongside that of Voltaire and other competitors and was printed in the Academy’s volume of prize essays. For a woman to be publicly recognized in this elite forum was extraordinary in the mid‑eighteenth century.
Historians widely regard this publication as the first time a woman had a scientific paper published by the Paris Academy, making it a genuine barrier‑breaking achievement in the institutional history of science. The Academy did not admit women as members, and female authors almost never appeared in its official publications. Du Châtelet’s ability to submit a prize paper, have it evaluated, and see it printed signaled both her intellectual stature and her determination to engage directly with the most prestigious scientific body in France.
The essay itself addressed the nature of fire, a central topic in Enlightenment physics and chemistry. While she did not win the top prize, her honorable mention and publication helped consolidate her reputation as a serious natural philosopher. In the longer term, this event demonstrated that women could contribute original research at the highest level, challenging assumptions about who could participate in scientific debates. It paved the way—symbolically and institutionally—for later generations of women who would seek recognition from academies and professional societies.