Short answers, pulled from the story.
The word lipide was unanimously approved by the international commission of the Société de Chimie Biologique on the 3rd of July 1923. Gabriel Bertrand introduced the term lipide in 1923 to standardize the terminology for these molecules. This linguistic standardization allowed scientists to communicate the intricate details of these molecules as precise chemical entities.
Theodore Gobley discovered phospholipids in the mammalian brain and hen egg in 1847. He named these molecules lecithins to distinguish them from other fat substances. This discovery showed that lipids were integral to the structure of the brain and nervous system rather than just energy reserves.
The complete oxidation of fatty acids releases approximately 38 kilojoules per gram. This energy density is more than double the energy provided by carbohydrates or proteins. Migratory birds rely on triglycerides to fuel their long-distance flights without stopping to eat.
The Women's Health Initiative Dietary Modification Trial and the Nurses' Health Study revealed no clear link between the percentage of calories from fat and the risk of cancer, heart disease, or weight gain. This eight-year study involved 49,000 women and challenged long-held beliefs about dietary fat. The Nutrition Source at Harvard University summarizes the current evidence stating that the total amount of fat in the diet is not really linked with weight or disease.
Henri Braconnot began his work on classifying substances into suifs and huiles in 1815. He stood before a microscope and a beaker of rendered animal fat to classify these substances into two categories. This simple binary distinction would eventually expand into a complex taxonomy that now encompasses everything from cholesterol to waxy coatings on plant leaves.