Marie figured out that those strange rays did not come from molecules or groups of atoms. Instead, they came out of individual atoms.
Marie also figured out that uranium wasn't the only element that emitted rays. During her research, she discovered that the element thorium did also. She then wrote (in April 1898) that other, still unknown, elements existed and that these other elements emitted even stronger radiation than uranium.
In July 1898, Marie and Pierre published a paper in which they told the world about their discovery of a new element. Marie named this new element polonium in honor of
In 1903, Marie earned a doctoral degree in science from the
In response to the Nobel Prizes, the
In 1904 Marie gave birth to her second child, a daughter she named Eve. For both daughters she hired Polish governesses. She wanted to make sure her children learned Polish.
1906-1934: Sadness and success
On a very rainy day in April 1906, Pierre was run over while crossing a street and died. Marie was very sad and felt very lonely from then on.
In May the
In 1911, Marie won her second Nobel Prize, this time in chemistry. She was the first person to win a second prize and remains the only person to ever win two prizes in science. Following her second prize, she was able to get the French government to pay for a private research laboratory. It was built in 1914. Today it is known as the Curie Institute.
During World War I, she developed x-ray machines that could be used to treat wounded soldiers. She also helped to take x-rays. As many as 1,000,000 soldiers were x-rayed using her machines.
Marie continued to do scientific research until shortly before her death. She died on July 4, 1934, in
Copyright © 2012 by Steven Farsaci. All rights reserved. Fair use encouraged.