Marie Curie, the First Woman to Win a Nobel Prize

Planet History I History is full of firsts: the 1st person to sail around the globe, the very first man to stroll on the moon, the 1st to effectively climb Mount Everest. Regrettably, numerous of these firsts do not involve females. For centuries, guys wrote and rewrote history with firsts. But, two really essential ones have been accomplished by a lady: Marie Curie.

Marie Curie was the very first lady to win a Nobel Prize and the first individual to win the award in two separate categories. Born in Warsaw, Poland November 7th of 1867, Marya Sklodowska, who later became known as Marie Curie, received a common education with her father teaching her science on the side. Many other Polish girls had not been permitted to receive an education because of Russia’s harsh rule. But, due to the fact her parents have been each educators, they demanded on their daughters becoming educated. Marie completed higher school at the young age of 15 along with being the very first in her class. She ended up completing her research in Paris, France at Sorbonne University for a a lot more expansive education. Then, in 1894, Marie met her future husband, Pierre Curie. Together, they worked in physics at Sorbonne but later, she passed him as the Head of the Physics Laboratory. For the duration of this time, women’s roles focused on their married and house life. A lot of would spend all their time producing certain her husband is pleased given that he would be the only one working. Marie was different.

Not only was she a functioning lady, she worked alongside her husband just before becoming head of their division. In addition to operating, she had two daughters, Irene, who followed in her mother’s footsteps and won a Nobel Prize, and Eve Curie. Getting a mother and an amazing scientist proves that females are not as weak and fragile as believed to be in that time period. Inspired by the perform of Henri Becquerels and William Roentgen, who found radioactivity, Curie decided to decide on radioactivity as the subject of her investigation. The reports done by Becquerels and Roentgen stated that rays similar to x-rays were getting transmitted from uranium ore. Making use of her husband’s instruments, she got the notion to measure the dim electrical currents she detected in the air that had been filled with uranium rays. Her operate proved Becquerel’s observation that the far more uranium in an ore, the more intensified rays.

Right after this, she started her revolutionizing hypothesis: an atomic home of uranium was the transmission of these rays. If this is true, the widely accepted theory of the atom becoming the smallest achievable type of matter would have to be false. (https://www.livescience.com/38907-marie-curie-information-biography.html) Curie had currently proved so considerably, but, she furthered her analysis. She and Pierre had been the 1st to allow radioactive isotopes to be isolated for the very first time in history. In this approach, she discovered two new elements: polonium and radium. Which leads to her Nobel Prizes. The 1st of which becoming awarded to her, her husband, and Henri Becquerels in 1903 for “contributions to the understanding of atomic structure” under the Physics category. Her second Nobel Prize, in 1911 was awarded to her following her husband’s death for discovering the radioactive components polonium and radium. Marie Curie was a leader and pioneer. She paved the way for many a lot more scientific advancements, ladies in science, and women who work. Her revolutionary perform led to her becoming the initial woman in history to win the Nobel Prize, which inspires girls these days. She offers strength to ladies who are going into the science fields. Curie broke down many barriers for females.



Adding to her lists of firsts, she was the initial woman to hold the job for Professor of General Physics at the University of Paris. Curie was not so a lot persecuted like other females, but because she was a lady in science, she was met with opposition. The Nobel nominating committee objected getting her as a Nobel Laureate, but her husband stood up for her and produced sure they knew the original analysis belonged to Marie. Unfortunately, considering that she had been exposed to so a lot radiation for the duration of her life, she developed a blood illness known as aplastic anemia. She passed away July 4th, 1937. Marie was buried subsequent to her husband but they were both moved to the Pantheon in Paris in 1995. Her legacy left such an influence that she is considered 1 of history’s greatest scientists.