Marie Curie has been described as the “towering scientist of her generation” (Mosse, 169) and was incredibly influential in science; winning two Nobel Prizes and becoming the first female professor at the Sorbonne. She also led the way for more women to get roles in science, research and some even becoming professors.
In the 1880s, Marie Curie trained in Paris as the University of Warsaw did not accept women. Her first nobel prize was achieved with her husband for coining the term “radioactivity” which they did together in 1898 after they discovered that uranium emitted rays. This made her the first woman to receive a Nobel Prize, in 1903 and was given half of the credit after arguing with the panel. In 1911, she received her second prize, in Chemistry this time, and completely alone, for her discovery of the two elements polonium and radium. This made her the only person to win two nobel prizes in different fields, to this day.
Marie Curie’s discovery of radioactivity led to great advancements in science and medicine leading to the inventions of x-rays and the progress of cancer treatments, sterilisation and detect illnesses. It also led to the eventual discovery of cosmic rays. More controversially her discoveries led to men creating nuclear weapons and so modern warfare.
Her achievements paved the way for women to follow her. She had proven that women could be just as successful as men in science and so completely disputed the concept of “female science”, the suggestion that science carried out by women was much less serious. After her success there was a movement of women getting involved in the world of science as researchers, and some even becoming professors.
She did, however, give up her life to science and died of leukaemia in 1934, a year before her daughter Irene Joliot Curie won her nobel prize in Chemistry with her husband. This was due to exposure to the prolonged exposure radiation because of the nature of her work. Unfortunately, Irene died the same way.
Despite their sad deaths the Curie family became the most celebrated family by the Nobel Committee. Marie Curie was incredibly influential leading to huge leaps of progress for both science and women in science. Due to her discoveries she is the most celebrated female scientist of all time and is still revered by historians and scientists to this day.
In her honour, after her death, Adrienne Rich wrote this poem about her suffering:
"She died a famous woman denying
her wounds
denying
her wounds can from the same source as her power"
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