Maria Curie
Two Noble prize winner
Poland gift to the world
Maria Born in Poland (City of Warsaw). In 1867
Maria was youngest of 5,children
Parents Teacher
Father atheist
Mother Roman Catholic
Mother death (Tu erculosis)
Sister death (Typhus)
Maria was 10 years
Formal education at the University of Paris la Sorbone
1893 she earned a degree in Physics and went on
to earn
Second degree in mathematics the next year.
Maria lacked Laboratory space for her
Research
Physicist Joseph Kowalski Wiprusz introduced her to young
Scientist with extra lab space .
That scientist was Pierre Curie. Pierre would marry to Maria soon but she
Would not immediately accept .
She would convince Pierre to finish her doctoral studies .At her urging
He did so.
Finally Maria would write "Our work drew us closer and closer ,until we were both
Convinced that neither of us could neither of us could find better life companion"
She married .She ware dark blue weeding dress.
Following the discovery of X rays by Wilhelm Roentegen
And first observations of radioactive by Henri Becquerel
, Maria became interested in new field.
She constructed a hypothesis that this radiation came from the
Atom it self as a type of disintegration .
Maria and Pierre discovered the first
Radioactive element.
Maria humbly asked Pierre if he would agree to name
The substance Polonium to bring awareness to her own
Home land., which had been removed from the map
And divided by occupying nations of Czarist Russia,
Austria,and Germany . Pierre agreed for Polonium name.
Maria in Proceedings of Academy of Science July 18 she would write"We
Proposed to call Polonium from the name of the original country of one of us,"
With that single statement she would raise awareness of the struggle for
Independence in her beloved Poland and inspire her countriman.
Polond regain independence in 1918.
In 1903 Maria Curie received her doctorate from University of
Paris.
Maria and Pierre were asked to speak on radioactive at the
Royal Institution in London Because of the prohibition against
Women speaking at the institution , Pierre gave the address
Later that year both Pierre and Maria Curie would be invited
To the Royal Swedish Academy of sciences to receive Noble
Prize in Physics along with Henri Becquerel.
Curies decided not to attend the ceremony as they disliked
The spot light
And wished to continue their work uninterrupted.
Tragidy struck in 1906 as Pierre was killed in an accident
Leaving despodent and caring for two young daughters.
The University of Paris offered Maria Pierre 's Chair in the Physics department,making her first woman professor in history.
Shortly afterwards She was able to isolate Radium
For the first time and enveloped an international
Standard for radioactive decay.
In 1911 Maria was awarded
the second noble prize this time
In Chemistry.
Maria Curie was instrumental in the invention
Of mobile X ray units.
Named" Pitite Curies."
Estimated to have aided in the care of one million out of 42million Allied troops
Developed Radon needles to aid in infection control.
Maria routinely donated her prize money .
Maria worked constantly until she began to suffer from
Aplarstic anemia
In the strange irony a disease liked caused by radiation
Exposure would take the life of the woman whose greatest
Accomplishments revolved around substance that would be
used for first by her to cure malignancies in innumerable
Patients.
Ref Journal of Contemporary Brachytherapy
2014 Sep 10:6(3):297-299
Mark Trombeta
