The Story of Marie Curie: A Great Scientist
Marie Curie was a famous scientist who was born in Poland in 1867. Her real name was Maria Skłodowska. As a young girl, she was very smart and loved to learn, but at that time, women in Poland could not study at a university. Marie wanted to learn more, so she made a big decision. She saved money and moved to Paris, France, to study.
Life in Paris was difficult. Marie did not have much money and sometimes she was cold and hungry. But she worked very hard and studied at the famous Sorbonne University. She was one of the best students in her class. In Paris, she met another scientist named Pierre Curie. They fell in love and got married.
Together, Marie and Pierre worked in a small laboratory. It was not a nice lab; it was old and cold. They studied a new kind of energy called radioactivity. They worked for many years with a heavy, dangerous material called pitchblende. Their work was slow and hard, but they were very determined. Finally, in 1898, they discovered two new elements: polonium and radium. They named polonium after Marie's home country, Poland.
Their discovery was a huge event in science. In 1903, Marie and Pierre won the Nobel Prize in Physics for their work on radioactivity. Marie was the first woman to ever win a Nobel Prize.
Sadly, Pierre died in an accident a few years later. Marie was very sad, but she continued her work alone. She became a professor at the Sorbonne and was the first woman to teach there. In 1911, she won a second Nobel Prize, this time in Chemistry. She was the first person to win a Nobel Prize twice.
Marie Curie used her discoveries to help people. During World War I, she created mobile X-ray machines to help doctors find bullets in wounded soldiers. She traveled to the front lines to help. Her work saved many lives.
Marie Curie's life shows us the importance of hard work and determination. She overcame many difficulties to become one of the greatest scientists in history. Her work changed the world and helped us understand more about science and medicine. She is an inspiration to people everywhere.
Vocabulary List
These words will help you understand the story. Tap the speaker to hear each word.
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Scientist
a person who studies or works in a field of science.
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University
a high-level educational institution where students study for degrees.
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Laboratory
a room or building used for scientific research, experiments, or testing.
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Radioactivity
the emission of radiation from a substance.
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Determined
having made a firm decision and not allowing anyone or anything to stop you.
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Element
a substance that cannot be separated into simpler substances by chemical means.
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Inspiration
the process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, especially to do something creative.
Comprehension Questions
Answer these questions about the story of Marie Curie.
- Why did Marie Curie move to Paris?
- Who did Marie work with to discover new elements?
- What two new elements did they discover?
- What two Nobel Prizes did Marie Curie win?
- How did Marie Curie use her discoveries to help people during World War I?
- What is a main message from Marie Curie's life?