Marie Curie

Born: 1867 Poland

Died: 1934

Scientist & 1st woman to win a Nobel Prize, & the only woman to win two.

Studied physics, chemistry and math at Sorbonne in Paris.  But had little money so survived on buttered bread & tea and sometimes fainted from hunger.

Pioneer in the field of “radioactivity”, she & her husband coined the term.

Made several scientific discoveries learning radiation did indeed come from the atom itself. She disproved ancient assumption that atoms were indivisible; this led to the creation of atomic physics.

Died of aplastic anemia due to her work being overexposed to radiation.

Said: “Nothing in life is to be feared; it is only to be understood.”