The nuclear physicist Chien-Shiung Wu showed that identical nuclear particles may not follow the same behaviour, disproving the law of 'parity' during beta decay.

Her work proved the hypothesis from Tsung-Dao Lee and Chen Ning Yang, and led Lee and Yang to win the Nobel Prize 1957.

Wu was awarded with the National Medal of Science in 1975, and the Wolf Prize in Physics in 1978, among other prizes.

In addition to her great contributions to the field of physics, her research contributed to the understanding of sickle cell anaemia.