George Washington Carver was born a slave. As a boy, he was often sick, and liked to draw and paint pictures of nature. He loved plants and animals.
George had to work as a farmhand while going to school. Even so, he finished high school, and added to his education by reading books and paying attention to the world around him.
George learned that cotton plants take nutrients out of the soil, while peanut plants rebuild the soil. He worked to make peanut farming profitable.
Over his lifetime, George invented hundreds of uses for crops like peanuts, pecans, and sweet potatoes. His most famous invention was peanut butter! He also developed over 500 dyes and pigments from 28 different plants. Throughout his life, Carver invented products and processes that would help poor people to earn a living.
Toby loved to invent things as a boy. When he was 5, he got a construction set, and immediately threw away the instructions. His first invention was a vegetable peeler. As he got older, he also built a bicycle, a go-kart, and a motorbike.
Sara Josephine Baker was born in 1873. When Sara was a little girl, she was adventurous and would sneak out of the house when the circus came to town. Sara decided to become a doctor at the age of 16, after her father died from typhoid.
Murali Krishna loved to read as a boy. His favorite topic was science fiction, especially stories about space travel and robotic machines.
Stephanie Kwolek liked to design clothes as a girl. It wasn't until high school that she became interested in science.
