10 interesting facts about Marie Curie, the first woman to win a Nobel Prize

3/18/2018

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Science Story: 10 interesting facts about Marie Curie, the first woman to win a Nobel Prize

During her lifetime, Marie Curie managed to break many gender barriers and become a two-time Nobel Prize winner. Here are 10 amazing facts about the famous female scientist who pioneered the study of radioactivity.

#1

Science Story: She was born Maria Sklodowska — wikipedia Public Domain Mark

Maria Salomea Skłodowska was born is Warsaw, in the family of famous teachers. She was the fifth and the youngest child.

#2

Science Story: She earned a gold medal for her academic excellence — wikimedia Public Domain Mark

Maria graduated from school in 1883.

#3

Science Story: While studying at the University of Paris, she sometimes fainted from hunger — wikimedia Public Domain Mark

Maria didn't always have enough money to buy proper meals. Anyway, she tried to work hard part-time to make ends meet.

#4

Science Story: She adopted the French spelling of her name in Paris — wikimedia Public Domain Mark

That's how Maria became Marie.

#5

Science Story: Not long after their meeting, Pierre Curie arranged a laboratory for Marie — wikipedia Public Domain Mark

Working together, the developed feelings for each other and got married in 1895, later becoming an iconic couple.

#6

Science Story: The Curies discovered Radium and Polonium — wikipedia Public Domain Mark

Polonium was named after Poland, Marie's motherland.

#7

Science Story: She kept a sample of radium next to her bed — wikipedia CC BY-SA

As Radium glows in the dark, Marie used it as a night light, which was quite dangerous due to the adverse health effects of the element. Both Marie and her husband often handled Radium samples, which took its toll on their health. Their hands and fingers were in a terrible condition.

#8

Science Story: Even Marie's notes and papers are radioactively contaminated — wikimedia CC BY

Today they are still kept in special boxes.

#9

Science Story: She had some tough time with the public after her husband's death — wikipedia Public Domain Mark

After Pierre's death, Marie had an affair with one of his young student. Rumors spread fast, and Marie almost lost all her confidence.

#10

Science Story: Einstein wrote Marie a letter to encourage her — wikimedia Public Domain Mark

He disagreed with the public and admired Curie's intellect.

Do you know any other little-known facts about Marie? Does her story inspire you? Which fact surprises you the most?

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58 Comments

Mavis Holzer

She was brilliant and laid a path for women to contribute to science.

ninakamwene

Brilliant woman, and seeing her with my favorite scientist Einstein, confirms that genius has no gender. May they both RIP. Thank you for educating us.

Alastair Hosking

Somewhere I have a letter from Pierre Curie to my Great Grandfather, Dr William Hosking. Dr William imported what is believed to be the first X-ray machine used in New Zealand. I must seek the letter out to check for radio activity!

Anne Roberts

The first time I heard of Marie Curie was during my student nurse training in the fifties.During that period it was heart breaking to see women with cancer of-the uterus as they suffered the pain .One particular lady I will never forget sitting with her and she said nurse it is like the pain when you have a miscarriage but it continues and never ceases . The first I heard and learned about radium treatment was working in theatre when a treatment was performed to help relieve this pain locally by putting a cone shaped instrument into the cervix which would release radiation locally to treat cervical cancer which would assist to relieve the pain ,I don’t remember after this treatment ever seeing a woman suffer the pain and bleeding associated with cervical cancer .Whenever The question arises who is the person you admire most of all in history It. Is without hesitation Marie Curie and I have always been thankful to have had personal experience of being in theatre to witness and learn from the experience .An amazing woman so pleased she was recognised with er awards .

Judy Ann Carnegie

Amazing woman for her time

Earl Goudie

Incredible scientist, woman or not.

Satish Chandran

Sad to know that she fainted from hunger.

dmarkc

Jimmy Mitchell, I'm pretty sure she didn't yet understand the danger of radiation. No one did.

Allison Aspden

Interesting information about Marie Curie.

Anne Roberts

A second thought I am delighted that there are Marie Curie Nurses and without doubt they are brilliant and remain very superior to any other hands on nurses when caring for those terminally ill patients in their own homes .