Women of Science Tarot Deck

The Women of Science Tarot Deck is a 78-card system designed to merge the ancient practice of tarot with modern scientific principles and the stories of influential women in STEM. Developed by science media producer Nadja Oertelt and illustrator/neuroscientist Matteo Farinella, the deck originated from a web series called "Our Science Heroes." It updates the traditional tarot framework to reflect a 21st-century scientific curiosity, aiming to help users tell stories about the future rooted in STEM concepts.

The deck is structured with 56 minor arcana cards, each featuring a historical STEM icon, and 22 major arcana cards, which represent fundamental scientific concepts (e.g., love as gravitational force). The four suits of the minor arcana are renamed to align with scientific realms: Nano (invisible, like math and physics), Micro (the cell, including chemistry and genetics), Macro (the system, covering biology and ecology), and Astro (beyond human scale, such as astrophysics and cosmology). This reinterpretation provides a unique framework for exploring scientific ideas through a storytelling lens.

Beyond its use as a game, the creators envision the deck as a tool for science communication and education. It comes with a general guidebook, "Science Tarot Explained," to facilitate play and learning. The project emphasizes making science more inclusive and accessible by centering human experience and emotional valence in its narratives, encouraging curiosity, research, and scientific thinking in everyday life.

This deck is ideal for science enthusiasts, educators, and students looking for an engaging way to learn about STEM history and concepts. It also appeals to tarot readers interested in non-traditional, intellectual, and empowering themes, particularly those who appreciate a feminist perspective on historical figures. Individuals seeking a deck that encourages critical thinking and a forward-looking approach to problem-solving will find this deck particularly resonant.

Nadja Oertelt, CEO of Massive, a science publication, co-created this deck with Matteo Farinella, a neuroscientist and illustrator known for educational comics like "Neurocomic." Their collaboration began with a web series, "Our Science Heroes," which inspired the deck's focus on pioneering women in STEM. Their goal is to make science more inclusive and accessible, using storytelling to connect complex scientific ideas with human experience and to encourage scientific literacy and curiosity.