History UsefulNotes / MarieCurie

Marie Curie, born Maria Sklodowska, was a Polish and naturalized French physicist and chemist. She was the first of many things: the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, the first person to win ''twice'', the first - and only - person to win in two sciences, the first woman to become a professor at the University of Paris. Born in 1867, she was a pioneer in research on radioactivity.

In 1903, she shared the Nobel Prize for physics with her husband, Pierre Curie, and physicist Henri Becquerel for their work on radiation. She received her second Nobel Prize, this time in chemistry, for her discovery of the elements radium and polonium. These weren't her only notable accomplishments - she also established the first field radiological centres during UsefulNotes/WorldWarI.

* DeadlyBook: Her notebookss are so radioactive that they're kept in lead-lined boxes and those who wish to study them need to wear protective clothing and sign a liability waiver. Even her ''cookbooks'' are contaminated.

* In many works of fiction, the fact that she was killed by her own discovery is treated as a kind of ironic morbid gag. This occurs in the movie ''{{Film/Enchanted}}'' and in numerous episodes of ''Series/TheBigBangTheory''.

* StarvingStudent: When she came to Paris to study at the Sorbonne. Tuition and labs were all free, but she was on an excruciatingly tight budget. Her sister and brother-in-law were both physicians in town, but their place was too far from the school and they liked to have lots of distracting guests and parties in their off hours. She lived in a succession of cheap places -- actual garrets much of the time -- within walking distance of the school so she wouldn't need to pay bus fare. The story of her fainting at school was real (between classes though, not during class as in the movie).

* LaResistance: Starting when she was a kid going to Jadwiga Sikorska's subversive academy, where the girls learned Polish history and other subjects forbidden during the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Partition Russian occupation]]. Everything was in code so when the schedule said "Home Ec" that was really "Polish History", etc. They had to learn enough Russian language, facts and history to fool the authorities into thinking the academy submitted to Russian rule, when actually it was just the opposite. There were a lot of underground study cells, including [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_University The Floating University]] that Marie attended and taught at later. Marie worked for Polish independence her whole life, and asked that the first element she discovered should be called Polonium.

* StarvingStudent: When she came to Paris to study at the Sorbonne. She was on an excruciatingly tight budget. She lived in a succession of cheap places -- actual garrets much of the time -- within walking distance of the school so she wouldn't need to pay bus fare. The story of her fainting at school was real (between classes though, not during class as in the movie).
* Main/{{Workaholic}}: Nearly her entire life. When she was ten, she'd lost her mother and older sister within weeks of each other, and was prey to depression and melancholy the rest of her life (anything you read about her having "nervous collapse" is about this). Study and research were her therapy. She wrote a book during the last year of her life [[TheDeterminator while she was dying of radiation poisoning]]. She also served as a member of the Commission on Isotopic Abundances and Atomic Weights from 1930 until her death.

* Main/{{Workaholic}}: She wrote a book during the last year of her life while she was dying of radiation poisoning. She also served as a member of the Commission on Isotopic Abundances and Atomic Weights from 1930 until her death.

In 1903, she shared the Nobel Prize for physics with her husband, Pierre Curie, and physicist Henri Becquerel for their work on radiation. She received her second Nobel Prize, this time in chemistry, for her discovery of the elements radium and polonium. These weren't her only notable accomplishments - she also established the first field radiological centres during WorldWarI.

In 1903, she shared the Nobel Prize for physics with her husband, Pierre Curie, and physicist Henri Becquerel for their work on radiation. She received her second Nobel Prize, this time in chemistry, for her discovery of the elements radium and polonium. These weren't her only notable accomplishments - she also established the first field radiological centres during World War II.

* TheKnightsWhoSaySquee: AlbertEinstein named her as one of the scientists whom he admired most.
* Main/{{Workaholic}}: She wrote a book during the last year of her life while she was dying of radiation poisoning. She also served as a member of the Commission on Isotopic Abundances and Atomic Weights from 1930 until her death.

** Her rather....... nonchalant.......handling of radium meant that many of her personal papers, including her cookbooks are still radioactive. [[http://www.csmonitor.com/Technology/Horizons/2011/1107/Marie-Curie-Why-her-papers-are-still-radioactive See here.]]

* FeminineWomenCanCook: Played straight ironically enough. She quite enjoyed cooking, and was rather proud of some of her recipes, even when an active researcher. For example: https://books.google.com/books?id=PinksBysPJwC&pg=PA7&lpg=PA7&dq=marie+curie+jelly+cookbook&source=bl&ots=EcrDWY_Gxd&sig=kqmJnN51M2Z3y50CirXvVqr9R7U&hl=en&sa=X&ei=3r8yVdblPOXLsATnp4GwBw&ved=0CCUQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=marie%20curie%20jelly%20cookbook&f=false
** Her rather....... nonchalant.......handling of radium meant that many of her personal papers, including her cookbooks are still radioactive. http://www.csmonitor.com/Technology/Horizons/2011/1107/Marie-Curie-Why-her-papers-are-still-radioactive

** Her rather....... nonchalant.......handling of radium meant that many of her personal papers, inclug her cookbooks are still radioactive. http://www.csmonitor.com/Technology/Horizons/2011/1107/Marie-Curie-Why-her-papers-are-still-radioactive

Marie Curie, born Maria Sklowdowska, was a Polish and naturalized French physicist and chemist. She was the first of many things: the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, the first person to win ''twice'', the first - and only - person to win in two sciences, the first woman to become a professor at the University of Paris. Born in 1867, she was a pioneer in research on radioactivity.

In 1903, she shared the Nobel Prize for physics with her husband, Pierre Curie, and physicist Henri Becquerel for their work on radiation. She received her second Nobel Prize, this time in chemistry, for her discovery of the elements radium and polonium. These weren't her only notable accomplishments - she also established the first field radiological centres during World War II.

!!TropesAssociatedWithCurie:

!!Curie provides examples of:

* Main/{{Workaholic}}

Curie died in 1934 at the age of 66, having developed aplastic anemia due to her exposure to large amounts of radiation because of her work. To this day, her papers are too dangerous to handle. Anyone wanting to consult them must wear protective clothing.

Curie died in 1934 at the age of 66, having developed aplastic anemia due to her exposure to large amounts of radiation because of her work.

Marie Curie, born Maria Sklowdowska, was a Polish physicist and chemist. She was the first of many things: the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, the first person to win ''twice'', the first - and only - person to win in two sciences, the first woman to become a professor at the University of Paris.

In 1903, she shared the Nobel Prize for physics with her husband, Pierre Curie, and physicist Henri Becquerel for their work on radiation. She received her second Nobel Prize, this time in chemistry, for her discovery of the elements radium and polonium.

Marie Curie, born Maria Sklowdowska, was a Polish physicist and chemist. She was the first of many things: the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, the first person to win ''twice'', the first woman to become a professor at the University of Paris.

In 1903, she shared the Nobel Prize for physics with her husband, Pierre Curie, and physicist Henri Becquerel for their work on radiation.