Wikijunior:Famous Inventors/Inventors in Medicine/Marie Curie

When, Where, and to whom was she born?

Marie Curie (born Maria Skłodowska, also known as Marie Curie-Skłodowska; in Warsaw, then part of Russian Poland, November 7, 1867 – July 4, 1934) was a physicist and chemist of Polish upbringing and, subsequently, French citizenship. She was a pioneer in the field of radioactivity, the first twice-honored Nobel laureate (to this day, the only one to win the award in two different sciences)

What was his or her childhood like?

Did You Know?

• First interesting fact.
• Another interesting fact.
• Yet another interesting fact.

Why did this person become interested in science?

Within two years, Marie took the master's examination in physics and scored highest in the class.She was completely absorbed in science when , in 1894, she met the physicist who became her husband.Meanwhile both Curies had became interested in the work of another French scientist, Antoine Henry Becquerel.In 1896 he had discovered that uranium gave off invisible radiations, which could "take a picture" on a photographic plate, even in total darkness.Marie wanted to find out what these radiations were.

Where did this person go to school?

Three radioactive minerals are named after the Curies: curite, sklodowskite, and cuprosklodowskite.

Pierre and Marie Curie University, the largest science, technology and medicine university in France, and successor institution to the faculty of science at the University of Paris, where she taught, is named in honor of her and Pierre. The university is home to the laboratory where they discovered radium.

Another school named for her, Marie Curie M.S. 158, in Bayside, New York, specializes in science and technology as does Curie Metropolitan High School, located in the community area of Archer Heights on Chicago's Southwest Side. It has a Technical, Performing Arts and IB program.

In 2007, the Pierre Curie Paris Métro station was renamed the "Pierre et Marie Curie" station.

The Maria Skłodowska-Curie Medallion, a stained-glass panel created by Jozef C. Mazur, may be found at the University at Buffalo Polish Room.

What did this person invent that solved the problem?

Madam Curie discovered the use of radium for creating x-rays, and helped to launch modern nuclear physics.

What happened to this inventor in the end?

Marie's body tissue had been poisoned by exposure to too much radioactivity. Pierre died when he was run over by a very heavy cart.

If you could ask Marie Curie one question, what would you ask?

I would ask her who her mom and dad were.

References

• Marie Curie