My “(Re)Discovery” of Marie Curie
Why this “(re)discovery” of her?
Marie Curie first entered my life when I began university at eighteen. Given my chosen field of study, heavily reliant on radiation, her work was inevitably a central focus of my coursework. However, it was only recently, during in-depth research for a project, that I developed a deeper appreciation for her contributions and “(re)discovery” her. This renewed exploration led me to delve beyond the required reading, sparking a genuine interest in her life and achievements. During this process, I came to recognize her as a truly inspiring figure.
5 Inspirations I “(Re)Discovered”
Pursuit of Dreams
Marie Curie was born in Poland in 1867 into a scientific family. Her father encouraged her academic pursuits. However, due to familial financial constraints and the societal limitations placed on women at the time, accessing higher education proved challenging.
As the University of Warsaw did not admit female students, she decided to continue her studies in Paris. To support herself financially during this period of familial hardship, Curie engaged in private tutoring and governess work. Finally, in 1891, she achieved her goal of enrolling at the Sorbonne University. By 1893, she had earned a degree in Physics, followed by a Mathematics degree in 1894.
Persistence in Achieving Goals
The discovery and isolation of radium and polonium were arduous tasks requiring immense dedication. Marie and Pierre Curie initially proposed the existence of polonium in July 1898, followed by the suggestion of radium a few months later. The process of extracting these elements was lengthy and physically demanding, significantly impacting Marie’s health. Her personal accounts reveal the extreme physical toll she endured, later understood to be the result of radiation exposure. The eventual isolation of radium was achieved in 1902, a milestone Marie highlighted in her doctoral thesis.
Elevation of the Female Gender
In 1903, Marie was one of the first women ever to get a PhD in France. Her research on radioactive stuff was huge. People said it was one of the best scientific papers ever written for a doctorate. She and her husband Pierre, plus this other scientist named Becquerel, were a dream team when it came to studying radiation. They won the Nobel Prize in Physics together. Can you believe she was the first woman to win that award? It wasn’t long before she was making history again. In 1911, she won another Nobel Prize, but this time for chemistry. No one else has ever won two Nobel Prizes in different science areas. Even after she died, her story kept getting better. She was the first woman to be buried in that famous French place, the Panthéon, because of her own amazing work. They moved her body there in 1995.
Appreciation of Scientific Knowledge
Marie really wanted to help people with her science stuff. She was like, “I’m not going to make money off radium and polonium. Science is about sharing, not cash.” When World War I happened, she didn’t just sit around. She went to where the fighting was and helped set up X-ray machines. This was super important for finding broken bones and bullets in soldiers.
The Importance of the Legacy
Marie was always a fighter. She had this dream, and she went for it. That’s how she discovered this whole new thing called radioactivity. She thought radiation could be used to help people get better, and that’s why we have things like X-rays and cancer treatments today. We can thank Marie for finding diseases early and fighting cancer better. It’s all because of her amazing science work.
5 Inspirations in Words
As I embarked on my “(re)discovery” of Marie Curie’s remarkable journey, I found myself captivated by her profound quotes. These insightful gems serve as testaments to her actions and also offer a glimpse into the depths of her extraordinary mind.
“We must believe that we are talented in some things and that these things, at any cost, must be achieved.”
“I have often been asked, especially by women, how I manage to balance family life with a scientific career. Well, it hasn’t been easy.”
“They taught me that the path to progress was neither quick nor easy.”
“It is my wish that some of you carry on the work of science, and keep the ambition and determination to make a permanent contribution to science.”
“We must not forget that when radium was discovered, no one knew that it would be useful in hospitals. The work was pure science. This is proof that scientific work must not be considered from the point of view of its direct usefulness. It must be done for itself, for the beauty of science, and then there is always the chance that a scientific discovery may become, like radium, a benefit for humanity.”