Paint by Numbers and Italian Scientists

Ciao! I am currently writing this post from a vineyard in Italy! I took these photos back in rainy Sydney, though - I haven't coincidentally found a wall that looks exactly like the same one back at home to take photos in front of. Ahh, and Italy... what can I say. There are not enough superlatives to describe how amazingly awesomely wonderfully beautiful it is. There will be photos. blouse - Thrifted skirt - c/o Romwe socks - c/o OASAP bag - Thrifted hat - c/o Wholesale shoes - Yeswalker As I am currently still very jetlagged, I am re-posting a science story I wrote back in January (originally here) about one of my inspirations, the Italian scientist Rita Levi-Montalcini. So if you've seen this before, I apologise! But as she was such an awesome person, this might be worth re-reading anyway. Rita Levi-Montalcini was an amazing, fiery and bad-ass neuroscientist, who sadly passed away in January, aged 103 years old. Image source and article Italian-born, she pursued a career in science at university despite both her father and 1930s society being generally against women in higher education. Then, she had to go into hiding when Mussolini came into power, as she was Jewish and thrown out of her university. To continue studying science, she built a secret research laboratory. Despite this, in 1986 she won a Nobel Prize for discovering something called "nerve growth factor", which greatly advanced our understanding of how neurons (nerve cells) work. Being at this point 77 years of age, she never slowed down - she went on to found the European Brain Research Institute in Rome, and a foundation encouraging the education of young women in Africa. She gave lectures and spoke out about promoting equality for women in science. And she turned up to work every day super well-dressed, with perfectly manicured hands and coiffured hair, even after turning 100. Basically, I want to grow up to be Rita. Read more about her amazing life here. Bloglovin' | Facebook | Twitter |  Instagram | Chictopia | Lookbook | Tumblr