MARIA SKŁODOWSKA CURIE

1867-1934
Maria SkŁodowska was born in
Warsaw Poland on the 7th of
November 1867. Her parents
were all teachers. Her mom ran a
school for girls and her father
tought maths, phisics and
chemestry.
Maria was born and lived in this
house >
Maria graduated from high school with a gold medal, but could not continue
her education. The Russian authorities forbade women to study.
She dreamed of studying in France. In late 1891, she left Poland for France
to start her studies of physics, chemistry, and mathematics at the University of
Paris. She focused so hard on her studies that she sometimes forgot to eat!
In 1895, Wilhelm Roentgen discovered the
existence of X rays, but he didn't understand
their source. A year later, Henri Becquerel
discovered that uranium salts emitted rays
that resembled X rays .
Maria conducted pioneering research on radioactivity. Her
husband Pierre decided to work with her. They claimed that the
radiation came from the atom itself, so they searched for
additional substances that emit radiation. This led to the discovery
of two elements. The new elements were named "polonium", in
honour of Maria’s native Poland and radium ", from the Latin word
for" ray ". They also coined the word" radioactivity''.
The Curies announced that diseased tumour-
forming cells were destroyed faster than
healthy cells when exposed to radium. It
helped to develop various fields of science and
medicine that relies on radioactivity. Marie is
considered a precursor of modern
radiochemistry.
Today, thousands of scientists working in fields
as diverse as cancer treatment, archaeology
and astrophysics continue to build on her work
on radiation.
1903 Nobel Prize in Physics
Maria, her husband Pierre Curie and Henri Becquerel
were awarded "in recognition of the extraordinary
services they have rendered by their joint researches on
the radiation phenomena (...)’’
1911 Nobel Prize in Chemistry
Maria was awarded "in recognition of her services to the
advancement of chemistry by the discovery of the
elements radium and polonium, by the isolation of
radium and the study of the nature and compounds of
this remarkable element.’’
Maria was the first woman to win a Nobel
Prize, the first person and the only woman to
win the Nobel Prize twice, and one of two
persons to win the Nobel Prize in two different
scientific fields.
„I am among those who think that science has
great beauty.”
 WORD WAR 1

Maria helped equip and operate ambulances

known as “Little Curies” and hundreds of field
hospitals with primitive x-ray machines so as
to assist surgeons with the location and
removal of shrapnel and bullets from the
bodies of wounded soldiers.
She even drove and operated one such
ambulance herself! More than 1 000 000
soldiers were saved.
Maria broke stereotypes and conventions. She
was the first woman to become a professor at
the University of Paris. She loved cycling,
swimming, driving a car, climbing in the
mountains. She spoke five languages. She
played in the theater. She was a precursor of
ecology.
Marie and Pierre Curie’s eldest
daughter, Irène and her husband
were awarded the Nobel Prize as
well!
Three Nobel laureates: Pierre,
Irena and Maria.
MARIA HAD
COOL FRIENDS
Maria died from aplastic
anaemia , contracted from her
long-term exposure to
radiation.