Marie Curie: Biography Of A Scientist

Discovering the life of Marie Curie, we immediately realize that we are facing a particular figure for several reasons . A pioneer in all respects: she was the first woman to win the Nobel Prize and the first to be appointed professor at the University of Paris. She was also the first woman to be buried, thanks to her own merits, in the Pantheon in Paris and the only woman to win the Nobel Prize in two different scientific disciplines.

Who ever said women can’t go into science? Marie Curie’s legacy is impressive and her name resonates on an endless list of men of science. Marie Curie probably remains one of the most famous scientists in the world.

His research in the field of radioactivity has paved the way for an infinity of subsequent studies. In this article, we will try, as far as possible, to get closer to one of the most important figures in the scientific landscape of the twentieth century.

The beginning of a life characterized by determination

Maria Sklodowska, her birth name, was born in Poland, the youngest of five children. Both parents devoted themselves to teaching; Maria, from an early age, followed in her father’s footsteps and showed a great interest in mathematics and physics.

Not being able to enroll at the University of Warsaw, which was exclusively male at the time, she undertook several occasional jobs. Mostly, she worked as a governess to earn money to finance her sister’s education. In the meantime, in his spare time he continued to educate himself, starting scientific-practical training in the chemistry laboratory.

In 1891 he moved to France and enrolled at the Sorbonne University. It was there that she began to be known as Marie. Due to limited financial resources, he had to start giving private lessons to earn the money he needed to survive.

In 1894 he met Pierre Curie at the School of Physics and Chemistry of the University of Paris. In 1895, Pierre and Marie married, creating a scientific union of exceptional importance.

Marie Curie: France and first results

Marie Curie is the most famous physics and chemistry in history. As early as 1897, his achievements included two university degrees, a scholarship, and the publication of an article on the magnetization of hardened steel. He had already achieved a certain prestige in the scientific and academic fields when Irène, his first daughter, was born. From that moment, Marie Curie devoted herself to the mysterious radiation of uranium, described by Antoine Henri Becquerel (1852-1908).

In 1904, the second daughter, Eva, was born. Thanks to his tireless dedication and hard work he was able to discover and isolate – in a state of purity – two elements: polonium and radium. She developed the techniques that allowed the isolation of radioactive isotopes and that could have made her a millionaire, but she chose to share her knowledge for the good of humanity.

The importance of his discoveries was immense, destroying at that historical moment the orthodox notion that scientists had of matter and energy. Marie Curie left us a legacy steeped in totally innovative thinking.

The eminent scientist realized that radiation was an atomic property and, therefore, had to be present in other elements as well. So, he theorized the concept of radioactivity and also coined the term.

From 1898 to 1902, she and her husband published about 32 scientific articles. These articles provide a detailed account of their work on radioactivity. In one they reported that cancer cells were destroyed faster than healthy cells when exposed to radioactivity.

Marie Curie, beyond the laboratory

In addition to work in science, Marie Curie made a great contribution to society during the First World War. She was responsible for the first radiological centers in the military fields. Curie’s research was crucial in the development of radiographs of patients in need of surgery.

During World War I, Marie Curie helped equip ambulances with X-ray equipment which she herself followed at the forefront of the battle. The International Red Cross appointed her as head of its radiology service. In this position, he was responsible for conducting training courses for doctors in the application of these new techniques. Over one million wounded soldiers are estimated to have been treated with their X-ray units.

Scientific merit and gender discrimination

Despite her success, Marie continues to encounter strong opposition from male scientists in France and never receives significant economic benefits for her work. Discrimination was the norm at the time, and there was little point in being one of the brightest scientists of the day.

On a rainy afternoon on April 19, 1906, Pierre Curie was hit by a carriage and died instantly ; Two weeks later, the widow assumed the chair of physics at the Sorbonne, taking the place of her late husband.

Honors began to come from scientific societies around the world. But the Curie was left alone with two small girls and with the gigantic task of directing research on radioactivity. In 1908, she edited her husband’s complete works and, in 1910, published the impressive Treatise on Radioactivity .

The second Nobel Prize would arrive shortly thereafter, but this time in the field of chemistry. But even in this case, Marie Curie did not obtain the approval of the Academy of Sciences which denied her membership.

In the late 1920s, his health began to deteriorate and he eventually died of leukemia on July 4, 1934. The disease was caused by exposure to the high-energy radiation of his research.

She was buried next to Pierre Curie in Sceaux, until, some six decades later, her remains were transferred to the Pantheon in Paris. The eldest daughter of the Curies, Irène, followed in her mother’s footsteps by dedicating her life to science and eventually winning the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

Conclusions

Marie Curie gave her entire life to scientific research and discovery. His life and great repertoire of achievements have inspired scientists all over the world.

It was also a model for all women, the spokesperson for a great change in the scientific field which, unfortunately, still seems to be dominated for the most part by men.