Marie Curie and the Story of Radium

By Grace T. Hallock

Discover the inspiring life and groundbreaking achievements of one of history's most remarkable scientists with Grace T. Hallock's Marie Curie and the Story of Radium. This captivating short biography brings to life the story of Marie Curie, a pioneering physicist and chemist whose discovery of radium revolutionized the scientific world and changed the course of medical research.

Grace T. Hallock chronicles Marie Curie's journey from her humble beginnings in Poland to her monumental scientific achievements in France. Through vivid storytelling Hallock highlights Curie's relentless dedication, intellectual brilliance, and unwavering perseverance in the face of numerous challenges.

Marie Curie and the Story of Radium delves into Curie's groundbreaking work on radioactivity, which earned her two Nobel Prizes in Physics and Chemistry—making her the first person to ever achieve such a feat. Hallock explores the significance of Curie's discoveries and their profound impact on science and medicine, including the development of cancer treatments and advancements in nuclear physics.

The short book also provides a glimpse into Curie's personal life, including her partnership with her husband, Pierre Curie, and her role as a mother. Hallock portrays Curie as a multifaceted individual, balancing her scientific pursuits with her responsibilities and navigating the complexities of a male-dominated field.

Join Grace T. Hallock in celebrating the life of Marie Curie and uncover the fascinating story behind one of the most significant scientific discoveries of the modern era. Marie Curie and the Story of Radium is a timeless account of curiosity, courage, and the pursuit of knowledge.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Porirua Publishing
• Release date: Jun 14, 2024
• ISBN: 9781991312396

Book preview

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© Porirua Publishing 2024, all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted by any means, electrical, mechanical or otherwise without the written permission of the copyright holder.

Publisher’s Note

Although in most cases we have retained the Author’s original spelling and grammar to authentically reproduce the work of the Author and the original intent of such material, some additional notes and clarifications have been added for the modern reader’s benefit.

We have also made every effort to include all maps and illustrations of the original edition the limitations of formatting do not allow of including larger maps, we will upload as many of these maps as possible.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS 1

MARIE CURIE AND THE STORY OF RADIUM 4

Marie Curie 1867-1934 4

Little Manya 5

Dark Years 5

School Days in Poland 5

One Carefree Year 6

The Sisters 6

The Governess 7

Off to Paris 7

The University 8

A Spartan Existence 8

Pierre Curie 10

The Young Couple 11

The little student, the picture of Marie that Pierre loved best 12

Becquerel’s Rays 12

Radioactivity 13

A New Element 14

The Discovery of Radium 15

A Hard life 17

An Important Decision 18

Fame 18

Alone 19

The War 21

American 22

The End of the Journey 23

The Sequel: A New Science 23

Suggested Reading 29

Marie Curie

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MARIE CURIE AND THE STORY OF RADIUM

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Marie Curie 1867-1934

ON November 7, 1867, a little girl whose story reads like a fairy tale was born in the ancient Polish city of Warsaw. Her parents were of noble birth, but poor, and she herself was beautiful and gifted. As a young woman she endured terrible hardships in order to study science in the city of Paris. There she met a man whose genius and ideals matched her own. The two fell in love with each other and were happily married. After years of almost incredible labors, they discovered a wonderful new element which they called radium. This discovery was one of the first milestones on the road which led into the Atomic Age. The name given to this little girl by her parents was Marya Sklodovska (Sklô-dôf-skä). The whole world remembers her today as Marie Curie.

Marya’s parents both came from families that had for generations cultivated the soil. They belonged to the lesser landowning nobility whom