History is filled with brilliant women who, despite the impediments imposed by the societies of their times, played a leading role in advancing science and shaping the world. “The second scientist” is a new series of articles aiming to introduce the reader to some of these remarkable scientists. It is named after the book by Simone de Beauvoir “The second sex”, which explored the societal constraints placed on women. Additionally, it draws inspiration from the documentary “Picture a scientist”, which explains the challenges women face currently in the different scientific fields and advocates for gender equality. In each article, we will delve into the lives and scientific work of different remarkable women, with no other aspiration than portraying them and raising curiosity about their figure and extraordinary work. 

It was only fitting to start this series with none other than Marie Curie, an exceptional pioneer. She was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize and later the first person to become a laureate twice. In fact, she is the only person to win Nobel Prizes in two different categories. She was also the first woman to graduate in Science at the Sorbonne, the first woman to obtain a doctorate in science in France, the first female professor at the University of Paris, and even the first woman to be buried on her own merits in the Panthéon of Paris in 1995, years after her death. 

Marie Curie, maiden name Maria Skłodowska, was born in 1867 in Warsaw and grew up in a family which, although not wealthy, was educated. Her early interest in science and culture led her to study at the Sorbonne in Paris (at that time women could not study in Poland, which was under Tsarist Russian occupation). Upon arriving in Paris in 1891 to pursue her studies, she changed her name to Marie. Later, after marrying Pierre Curie in 1895, she took her husband’s surname. Marie and Pierre met at a dinner party organized by a mutual friend and fell in love. They shared a passion for scientific knowledge, cycling, and a strong commitment to social causes. 

After obtaining degrees in Physics and Mathematics, Marie focused her doctoral research on the study of radioactivity, inspired by the work of physicist Henri Becquerel, who had discovered that uranium salts emitted rays of an unknown nature. By serendipity (as it often happens in scientific discoveries), Becquerel observed that when he placed uranium salts on a photographic plate inside a dark drawer, the plate unexpectedly became exposed (exposure), revealing that uranium salts emitted some sort of penetrating radiation. This work paved the way for Marie and Pierre Curie, who delved deeper into the study of radioactivity. Although initially they had to work in a “poorly ventilated and cold room” —meager conditions even for the time— they could ultimately identify the radioactive elements radium and polonium. This discovery led Marie to become the first woman to receive the Nobel Prize, together with Pierre Curie and Henri Becquerel, in 1903, despite initial resistance from the academy because of her gender.

Moved by a humanistic commitment, Marie and Pierre refused to patent radium and renounced any economic benefit from their discovery, giving it to humanity. After this breakthrough, researchers worldwide have been exploring its medical applications, e. g. radiotherapy, which is still used today, though the radioactive source comes from a different element (cobalt-60). At the time, there was limited understanding of the health risks associated with exposure to radioactive materials. 

After winning the Nobel Prize, the couple continued their research into radioactive materials and their properties. However, in 1906, Pierre’s death shocked Marie. He was already weakened by the effects of researching radioactive elements, and unfortunately was killed by a horse carriage. After the tragic accident, Marie took refuge in work, dedicating herself to the study of radioactive substances and took on teaching responsibilities at the University, replacing Pierre and thereby becoming the first woman to teach at the Sorbonne. After persistent efforts, she successfully isolated pure radium, a notable achievement which later granted her second Nobel Prize.

Some years later and when she was still stricken with grief after her husband’s death, she fell in love with Paul Langevin, a married colleague and fellow scientist. They had a long-lasting affair which caused a great scandal in the press and led to defamation against Curie, who was incredibly popular at that time. These slanders about Curie went so far as to claim that without her husband she wouldn’t have done anything remarkable. These attacks even influenced the Nobel Prize committee, which hesitated to grant her the second Nobel Prize in Chemistry. In response to this refusal, Marie firmly replied to Stockholm: “The prize was given to me for the scientific discoveries in radioactivity. I believe there is no connection between my scientific work and the facts of private life”. Eventually, she was able to collect her second Nobel Prize and in her acceptance speech paid tribute to Pierre, but also made clear that her work was independent from his. It is also worth mentioning that no one held Langevin accountable, and he continued his academic career without disturbance.

Marie Curie stood out not only for her contribution to science but also for her altruism. During World War I, she demonstrated her social commitment by applying her knowledge of X-rays. Together with her 17-year old daughter Irène, she took radiographs in the trenches to provide medical imaging for the treatment of wounded soldiers. Furthermore, in 1921, she founded the prestigious Curie Institute in Paris, which remains a leading center for cancer research.

It is difficult to understand why Marie, despite the accumulating evidence of the danger of radium, did not take sufficient precautions. In her laboratory, she implemented some safety rules, but neither she nor her daughter truly adhered to them. Eventually, it was science that gave Marie Curie relief and success after tragically losing her husband and it was also science that ultimately took her life. Having been exposed to high doses of radioactivity for years, she eventually died of pernicious anemia caused by radiation. In addition to being an extraordinary and industrious scientist, she was also a single mother of two daughters. One of them, Irène Curie, would later win the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1935 but unfortunately died young of leukemia, likely triggered by her continuous exposure to radium. 

Marie Curie’s professional magnitude was an absolute rarity in her time — She was a remarkable scientist who not only made life-saving contributions and blazed new paths for other female scientists but also literally gave her life to science leaving an indelible legacy.