The Elements of Marie Curie with Dava Sobel
StarTalk Radio
Deep Dive
What were the two elements discovered by Marie Curie?
Marie Curie discovered polonium and radium, which were the first radioactive elements she identified through her groundbreaking research on radioactivity.
Why did Marie Curie move to Paris to study?
Marie Curie moved to Paris because women were not allowed to attend university in her home country of Poland during the late 1800s. She sought higher education at the University of Paris, where she became the first woman to teach.
How did Marie Curie contribute to the medical field?
Marie Curie pioneered the use of radium in cancer treatment by demonstrating its ability to destroy tumor cells. She also created mobile X-ray units during World War I, training 150 women to operate them, which revolutionized battlefield medical care.
What was the significance of Marie Curie's second Nobel Prize?
Marie Curie's second Nobel Prize, awarded in 1911, was in chemistry for her discovery and isolation of radium. This prize solidified her legacy as a groundbreaking scientist, especially as she won it outright without sharing it with anyone.
How did Marie Curie's work influence the understanding of radioactivity?
Marie Curie coined the term 'radioactivity' and demonstrated that it was a property of certain elements, not just a result of external factors. Her work laid the foundation for modern nuclear physics and the development of radioactive dating methods.
What challenges did Marie Curie face as a woman in science?
Marie Curie faced significant gender bias, including skepticism about her contributions to shared Nobel Prizes with her husband. Despite winning a second Nobel Prize outright, some still attributed her success to her husband's work.
What was the 'island of stability' in relation to the periodic table?
The 'island of stability' is a hypothesized group of superheavy elements predicted to be more stable than other highly unstable elements. Scientists believe these elements could exist based on theoretical models of atomic nuclei.
How did Marie Curie's daughter continue her scientific legacy?
Marie Curie's daughter, Irène Joliot-Curie, won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1935 for discovering how to create artificial radioactive elements, which were safer and more effective for medical use than natural radioactive elements.
What was the impact of Marie Curie's mobile X-ray units during World War I?
Marie Curie's mobile X-ray units, known as 'Petites Curies,' allowed battlefield medics to X-ray wounded soldiers for the first time. She trained 150 women to operate these units, significantly improving medical care during the war.
What was the cause of Marie Curie's death?
Marie Curie died of aplastic anemia, a condition where the body can no longer produce red blood cells. This was likely caused by prolonged exposure to radiation during her research and her work with X-ray units during World War I.
- Dava Sobel's background as a journalist and science writer
- Sobel's previous books: Longitude, Galileo's Daughter, and The Glass Universe
- Sobel's return to StarTalk Radio after being the first guest
Shownotes Transcript