Who was Marie Curie?

Marie Curie was a very famous scientist. She was born on 7 November 1867, in Warsaw, Poland.

When she was growing up, it wasn’t normal for women to study at university so she moved to France to study at a university where women were allowed to go. 


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She did many studies on radiation and discovered two new elements of the periodic table: polonium and radium.

During World War I, she came up with the idea that X-ray machines could be taken to different hospitals in trucks to help patients. The trucks were called ‘Little Curies’ and helped thousands of soldiers during the war.

She was the first person to win two Nobel Prizes.

She died at age 66 from too much radiation. She didn’t know that radiation was dangerous to work with. Today scientists are extra careful of X-rays and wear special clothes and glasses to protect themselves.