Marie Curie's Influence On Society

Marie Curie A glowing particle of radium sat in the dark with all of its pitchblende dirt particle buddies. A sliver of light was let in by the almost shut door, and as the sliver grew bigger, the shadow of a woman appeared on the ground. Marie Curie stepped into her lab, and began to gather the tools she needed. She picked up the little jar of pitchblende and brought it to a workstation and began sifting through it. The footsteps that had been working their way to the door finally reached it and her husband walked into the lab and began to help her. This process, of slowly sifting through pitchblende to find the tiny particles of radium that they both knew were in there, could take weeks, if not months. Marie Curie helped shaped society …show more content…
She first isolated radium with her husband, Pierre Curie. (Ellis 36). In 1891 she became a student of physics and mathematics at Sorbonne University in Paris. (Ellis 36). In 1896, after Henri Becquerel's accidental discovery of radioactivity, Curie began to study Uranium rays. 2 years after that, Maire was studying pitchblende from her husband’s laboratory, and she came to the conclusion that there was a probable existence of another radioactive element in the material. Pierre joined her and together they discovered Polonium. (History.com Staff “Remembering Marie Curie”). Using her radiography expertise, Marie set up mobile and permanent X-ray stations during WW1. They became known as “petites Curies.” This helped doctors diagnose and treat injuries on the battlefield. (History.com Staff “Remembering Marie Curie”). Thanks to Marie Curie, scientist today have a better understanding of radioactive …show more content…
The Curies discovered that radiation could cure cancer and skin ulcers, and developed methods for treating cancer with radiation therapy. (“Marie Curie and the Radioactivity”). At 53, Curie made a trip across the Atlantic Ocean to the United States, thanks to Marie “Missy” Mattingly Meloney, the editor of The Delineator an American Women’s publication, Marie was going to receive a gram of Radium. (Koestler-Grack). The article published in The New York Times falsely quotes Curie in the title “Mmc Curie Plans to End All Cancers.” Radium was but a cure for one type of cancer, not all. (Koestler-Grack). Although she discovered a cure for a cancer, known as Curie Therapy, it is not used anymore. It has been replaced with Cobalt 60, a radioactive isotope. (Koestler-Grack). The Curie's discovery has helped scientists today to have a greater understanding of how atoms are made up. (“Marie Curie and the Radioactivity”). The human race does not yet have a cure for all cancers, or just a good cure for cancer in general, but Marie Curie got the ball rolling for the cure, that is for