Marie Curie
The Pioneer of Radioactivity and First Female Nobel Laureate
The Life of Marie Curie
Marie Skłodowska Curie (1867-1934) was a Polish and naturalized-French physicist and chemist who conducted pioneering research on radioactivity. She was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, the first person and only woman to win the Nobel Prize twice, and the only person to win the Nobel Prize in two scientific fields.
Scientific Achievements
- 1898: Discovered the elements polonium and radium with her husband Pierre Curie
- 1903: Awarded Nobel Prize in Physics (jointly with Pierre Curie and Henri Becquerel) for their research on radiation phenomena
- 1911: Awarded Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the discovery of polonium and radium
- 1914: Established the Curie Laboratory in the Radium Institute of the University of Paris
- 1914-1918: Developed mobile X-ray units for medical use during World War I
"Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less."
Legacy
Marie Curie's contributions to science have been immeasurable. She not only discovered two new elements and developed the theory of radioactivity, but she also broke gender barriers in the scientific community. The Curie Institute in Paris and Warsaw continues her work to this day.
Her dedication to science came at a high personal cost—she eventually died from aplastic anemia, likely caused by exposure to radiation. Despite the dangers, she never lost her determination to advance scientific knowledge. Her notebooks are still radioactive to this day and are kept in lead-lined boxes.
Personal Life
Born Maria Skłodowska in Warsaw, Poland, she moved to Paris to study physics and mathematics at the University of Paris. There she met her husband, Pierre Curie, with whom she shared her Nobel Prize in Physics. After his tragic death in 1906, she took his place as Professor of General Physics in the Faculty of Sciences, becoming the first woman to hold this position.
Marie Curie raised their two daughters as a single mother. Her eldest daughter, Irène Joliot-Curie, also became a scientist and was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1935, continuing her mother's legacy.