The Story of Madame Curie

Marie Curie was the first woman to receive a Nobel Prize, and the first scientist, man or woman, to be awarded a second one. These recognitions were awarded for her work on radioactivity and her discovery of two chemical elements: radium and polonium (named after her native Poland). Marie Curie lived a life marked by financial hardship (she entered a pact with her sister whereby Marie would work as a governess to finance her sister's medical degree, upon which her sister would support Marie's studies at the Sorbonne), tragedy (her mother and sister died early of disease, and her beloved husband Pierre was killed in a tragic accident), and disease (a consequence of her long-term exposure to radioactivity). However, she was a woman with an immense determination and dedication to her work, which, against her own desires, brought her tremendous fame and recognition. Her story, presented here in relative brevity, is certainly one worth the read.