The Discovery Of Radium And Radio Active Substances By Marie Curie Illustrated

IN HER recent visit to America, Madame Curie conferred a special honor upon Vassar College by delivering in the chapel on the evening of May fourteenth the only extended address which she made in this country. In a simple, straightforward way she told the story of her great achievement. One realized how, closely environed by all the great realities of human experience, in the face of tremendous difficulties and with limited resources, she had pursued undaunted her search for truth. The discovery of radium gave Madame Curie immediate distinction among scientists on account of the extremely significant contribution she thereby made to the great ultimate problem of physical science, the constitution of matter. The striking properties possessed by radium gave to its discovery a world-wide interest, all the more intense because of the hope which was inspired by the possible healing qualities of the radiations from this new element. That hope is being realized in large measure. It is therefore fitting that this address should have been given by Madame Curie at Vassar and that it should now be circulated among the members of the college under the foundation in memory of Ellen S. Richards, who devoted her life to the public health. This Edition comes with the following contents: Prefatory Note ii The Discovery Of Radium iii Introduction. 1 Historical. 4 Chapter I. 6 Radio-Activity Of Uranium And Thorium. Radio-Active Minerals. 6 Chapter II. 26 Method Of Research. 26 Chapter III. Radiation Of The New Radio-Active Substances. 51 Chapter IV. 119 Communication Of Radio-Activity To Substances Initially Inactive. 119 Nature And Cause Of The Phenomena Of Radio-Activity. 16

Marie Sklodowska Curie (1867-1934) was a Polish and naturalized-French physicist and chemist who conducted pioneering research on radioactivity. She was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, the first person and only woman to win the Nobel Prize twice, and the only person to win the Nobel Prize in two different scientific fields. She was also the first woman to become a professor at the University of Paris. She named the first chemical element she discovered polonium after her native country. She died of aplastic anaemia from exposure to radiation in the course of her scientific research and from her radiological work at field hospitals during WWI. This work is her thesis presented to the Faculté des Sciences de Paris, which appeared in English translation in the Chemical News 1903, Vol. 88, and was published in book form the following year. Illustrated with 12 diagrams.

Beginning with an obscure discovery in 1896, radioactivity led researchers on a quest for understanding that ultimately confronted the intersection of knowledge and mystery. This book tells the story of a new science that profoundly changed physics and chemistry, as well as areas such as medicine, geology, meteorology, archaeology, industry, politics, and popular culture.

In her intensely researched, inventively drawn exploration of Marie Curie's life, artist Alice Milani follows the celebrated Polish scientist from Curie's time as a struggling governess to her years in France making breakthrough discoveries. Curie was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize and the only person to win a Nobel Prize in two different sciences. With skill and care, Milani traces Curie's flight from Russia-controlled Poland, her romance with fellow scientist Pierre Curie, and Marie and Pierre's stunning discoveries of the elements radium and polonium. Throughout this distinctive graphic work, Curie defies doubt and double standards to make an enduring impact on the scientific world.

Marie Curie discovered radium and went on to lead the scientific community in studying the theory behind and the uses of radioactivity. She left a vast legacy to future scientists through her research, her teaching, and her contributions to the welfare of humankind. She was the first person to win two Nobel Prizes, yet upon her death in 1934, Albert Einstein was moved to say, "Marie Curie is, of all celebrated beings, the only one whom fame has not corrupted." She was a physicist, a wife and mother, and a groundbreaking professional woman. This biography is an inspirational and exciting story of scientific discovery and personal commitment. Oxford Portraits in Science is an on-going series of scientific biographies for young adults. Written by top scholars and writers, each biography examines the personality of its subject as well as the thought process leading to his or her discoveries. These illustrated biographies combine accessible technical information with compelling personal stories to portray the scientists whose work has shaped our understanding of the natural world.