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She was a physicist who played a major role to develop nuclear fission. Yet when she gave a lecture to an audience in Berlin on "Problems of Cosmic Physics" it was reported in the newspapers as "Problems of Cosmetic Physics". One wonders whether they thought physics itself was purely cosmetic or that women could do only cosmetic physics. The element Meitnerium, a transuranian element, is named after her.
A new biography has been written about her by Ruth L. Sime (Pubished by the University of California Press). There is a review available.