Marie Curie, ne Maria Skodowska Salome (in.

November 7, 1867, Warsaw; d. July 4, 1934,

Sancellemoz, France) was a Polish scientist established
in France, double Nobel Laureate. She was the first
woman to receive the Nobel Prize and the only scholar
who received two Nobel Prizes in two different
scientific fields (physics and chemistry). He introduced
the term natural radioactivity. It is known for his
research on radioactive elements, natural radioactivity
and their application
in medicine. She was
the wife of Nobel
laureate physicist
Pierre Curie, and the
mother of a Nobel
Prize laureate (Irne
Joliot-Curie). Except
his daughter ve
Curie (writer), all his
descendants will
follow scientific
careers.

Scientific activity
In 1897, Marie decides that her PhD topic refer to
the study of radiation. To this end, the electrometer built
by Pierre Curie ve prove of real utility. While working
with various components which included uranium,
thorium Marie found that (which was discovered by
Berzelius in 1829) radiate even more intense radioactive
than uranium. So intense were the ones emitted by
Uraninite (uraninite), rich in uranium ore. Marie and
realized that he had discovered a new chemical element.
Pierre Curie suspended its own research to collaborate
with Marie. In April 1898 the two present Academy of
Science thesis on radioactivity of uranium and thorium.
Since there were members of the Academy, presenting
the discovery is made by Gabriel Lippmann.
The two continue their research and conclude that
Uraninite contains two elements responsible for the
emission of strong where radioactive. In July 1898 they
manage to isolate one of these elements and present the
result Academy of Sciences. This new element will be
called "polonium" after the country of origin of Mary.

The Marie Curie showed that mysterious radiation is an

atomic property and calls the phenomenon
"radioactivity" and chemical elements with this
property, "radioactive elements".
The discovery of radioactivity will have a huge impact
in the world of physics and particle physics in particular.
It better understand the structure of atoms and proving
that it can be decomposed into elementary particles
smaller.
Fight for radiu
While researching different types of ore, Marie
found one that emits radiation stronger than pure
uranium. In other words, the emission radiation was not
an exclusive domain of uranium, so it would be other
elements that can emit.
Curies reported on December 26, 1898, that a new
element polonium was found different from them. Later,
Marie Curie isolated from uraninite, calling it "radium".
But to prove this, they need to continue research and
conclude that require large amounts of Uraninite. I
manage to get a ton of residue from a mine. They both
work so intense that not even leave the lab to dine. In
addition to the care they should give their daughter in
1900, Marie starts to teach physics courses to help his
family financially. In 1901 it was discovered that radium
could cure certain skin diseases. The real results appear

in the following spring, 1902, when the Curies manage

to extract one decigram pure radium chloride from a
large amount of Uraninite.
In 1903, an American industrialist require two scholars
to cede copyright of radium purification method and
receives favorable response from them.
In June 1903 Marie Curie received the title of Doctor of
Science from the University of Paris for his dissertation
research on radioactivity. In November of the same year,
the Swedish Nobel Committee decided to give Mary
and Pierre Curie, and Henri Becquerel's Nobel Prize for
Physics.
The fact that a woman of Polish origin received such an
award has sparked a strong echo. But both spouses
participate in the ceremony was postponed due to the
high degree of fatigue due to overwork had reached so
that only in the next two speeches are presented to
support the receipt of the prestigious awards.
In 1904, Pierre Curie became professor at the University
of Paris, so that Marie is forced to continue only
research work, but also to deal with the family,
especially since Eve was born that year, the second
daughter of the couple. Death of Pierre Curie, is a major
blow to Marie. Overcome this unfortunate event and
continuous work, not without results.

A paper published by Lord Kelvin argues that radium

was a chemical element, but a compound of helium and
lead. This one drives on Marie Curie to show that
radium is a new and start working on the isolation of
pure radium chloride instead of simply radium, difficult
operation which requires great skill. The difficulty came
from the fact that it exists in nature in much smaller
quantities than could reveal a simple measurement tool.
For detection of radium, Marie used electrometer built
by her husband. This new tool allowed him to detect
radioactive waves emitted by radium in the air. For this
he used the method of fractional distillation. Marie will
melt years Uraninite in containers specifically designed
for this purpose. Since the melting temperature unaware
of radium, Marie will use trial and error process to
determine the temperature you should use. There is also
the possibility that the slightest inattention fractional
crystallization process to compromise the entire
research carried before. For this reason, the Curies had
very little time devoted to other activities. Luau table
and hastily returned to containers of uranium ore, heated
to temperatures of hundreds of degrees. Furthermore,
the laboratory used by the Curies was located in an area
with high humidity and sudden changes in temperature,
not the best place to conduct thorough investigations so.
However, Marie said later that the best years of his life
were spent in his laboratory the research.
After years of strenuous experience, conducted almost
monotonous, the Curies manage to isolate a decigram

radium chloride, a cafeteria infinitesimal compared to

the huge volume of ore used. Less than a month after
the death of Pierre, Mary is proposed to take over the
duties of the Chair of the University of Paris. In parallel,
Marie Curie continued research work and, in 1910, after
many years of effort, manages to isolate radium metal.
The following year, receives the second Nobel Prize
Recognition and awards
1903: Nobel Prize in Physics (with her husband, Pierre
Curie and Henri Becquerel with)
1903: (with Pierre Curie) Humphry Davy Medal
1910: Medal of Honor Legion, but that Marie Curie
reject
1910 at an international conference held in Brussels on
scientific (and with the participation of Marie Curie) is
proposed as a unit of measurement of radioactivity to be
"curious".
1911 second Nobel Prize, this time for chemistry
1922 becomes a member of the French Academy of
Medicine
1922: Cooperation Committee joins the League of
Nations and later his deputy.
Chemical element with atomic number 96 is named in
memory of the two scholars curium. In 1914 it
established the Research Institute of radium, and in
1920 the Institut Curie.

In 1984 opens one of the largest children's hospitals in

Romania, offered aid from the Polish government after
the earthquake in 1977. As a tribute to the great woman
scientist, he called Sklodowska Curie Marie Hospital.