Sci-necdotes: Marie Curie (1867-1934)

Scientist: Marie Curie

Date of Birth - Date of Death: 1867-1934

Brief Biography: Marie Curie. You may have seen this name before in one of your Physics or Science textbooks. Marie Curie was the first woman to receive a Nobel Prize in Physics and went on to win another one in Chemistry, making her the first person to ever earn two Nobel Prizes. Her and her husband Pierre conducted research together that resulted in the discovery of polonium and radium. Marie Curie also pioneered the creation of X-rays.

Achievements:

1903 Nobel Prize for Physics (with Henri Becquerel and her husband Pierre Curie) for extracting polonium and radium and her research on the radiation phenomenon (originally discovered by Prof. Henri Becquerel)
1911 Nobel Prize for Chemistry awarded for the isolation of pure radium
First woman to win a Nobel Prize
Only woman to win the Nobel Prize in two different fields

Anecdotes:

1. Who’s the real scientist?

Marie married a French scientist named Pierre Curie on July 26, 1895. They were acquainted by a colleague of Marie’s after she graduated from Sorbonne University. Marie had gotten a contract to undertake research on various kinds of steel and its magnetic characteristics and required a lab for her work. A relationship evolved between the two, and they became a team dedicated to one another. Initially, Marie and Pierre worked on different projects. But right after Marie discovered radioactivity, Pierre set aside his own job to support her with her studies. Marie experienced a devastating loss in 1906 when Pierre was murdered in Paris after accidently stepping in front of a horse-drawn truck.

After his death, Pierre’s professorship in physics at the French University, Sorbonne, was offered to Madam Curie. While this was unprecedented, it was frowned upon by the scientific community. They raised a hue and cry against the appointment because Madam Curie was considered merely as an assistant of her husband, which was untrue and unjust. Marie Curie conducted her own research in her own research lab and had the expertise and skills to succeed in professorship.

The representation of women in the STEM workforce has increased from 8% in 1970 to 27% in 2019. However, for representation of women in STEM to rise further, the accomplishments of women in the field must be celebrated and publicized.

Marie Curie driving an automobile. — Marie Curie driving a Renault automobile converted into a mobile radiological unit, 1914. Curie used these vehicles, which became known as *petites Curies*, to bring X-ray equipment to wounded soldiers at the front during World War I. ©Photos.com/Jupiterimages

2. Helped during the First World War!

While Marie Curie was an exceptional scientist, she wasn’t always confined to the four walls of her lab. She offered her services during the First World War by driving ambulances to the war front and for helping injured soldiers. Her expertise in radiology allowed her to carry the X-ray apparatus (that was newly discovered then) for examining and diagnosing the soldiers. She also led a team to install radiological rooms in hospitals and trained their staff to perform X-ray diagnosis.

This is a beautiful example of how scientists can contribute to the betterment of society and solve problems both in and out of the lab.

3. Demise due to her own discovery!

Marie Curie’s death was caused due to overexposure to toxic radiations emitted by radium. Her medical report indicated she had aplastic pernicious anaemia caused due to the accumulation of radiation in her bone marrow.

Guess who discovered radium? Marie Curie did!

References:

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Author: Devashish Arvind Pande

Dev is a graduate student at the University of Delaware. His research focuses on understanding how the brain encodes social experiences. Outside of the lab, he enjoys solving chess puzzles, watching TV shows, and playing the guitar.