While we celebrate the records Ms. Koch now holds, the achievements that come directly from her efforts are less heralded. She conducted research in microgravity on mustard greens, examining the role of gravity and space on whole-plant health, cellular development and tissue growth. Perhaps most importantly, she also looked at how growing plants affects human community.

Popular Mechanics is celebrating 10 incredible women who are shaping our understanding of our world and the universe. Do yourself a favor and follow them on Twitter.

Katherine W. Phillips pursued a lifelong quest to delve into the specifics of how and why racially and ethnically diverse groups function differently than homogeneous ones. As a professor, most recently at Columbia Business School, she analyzed the ways that organizations, especially in their workplaces, can maximize the benefits of hiring employees with different backgrounds.

“There was a concerted effort by white women suffragists to create boundaries towards black women working in the movement,” says historian and author Michelle Duster. “White women were more concerned with having the same power as their husbands, while black women saw the vote as a means to improving their conditions."

Three women - Mary Somerville, Mary Anning and Mary Mantell - were linked by both their name and their pioneering contributions to science.

Madame Sul-Te-Wan became the first black actress to land a studio contract, carving out a place for herself in the emerging Hollywood scene.