ā Marie Curie, nĆ©e Maria Salomea SkÅodowska, was born on November 7, 1867, in Poland to schoolteacher parents of modest means who encouraged their childrenās educational aspirations. Determined to pursue a scientific career, Marie struck a deal with her sister Bronya, agreeing to fund Bronyaās medical degree in France by working as a governess. Bronya later helped Marie move to Paris and enroll at the prestigious Sorbonne, where she studied chemistry, math, and physics. She met her future husband, Pierre, while doing postgraduate research at the lab he supervised. The pair immediately bonded over their mutual interest in magnetism and fondness for cycling, and a year later they were married in Sceaux, France. In 1896, intrigued by the physicist Henri Becquerelās accidental discovery of radioactivity, Curie began studying uranium rays. Two years later, the Curies discovered polonium ā named after Marieās homeland ā and radium. In 1903, they shared the Nobel Prize in physics with Becquerel for their groundbreaking work on radioactivity. After Pierreās tragic death in a 1906 accident, Marie was appointed to his seat at the Sorbonne, becoming the universityās first female professor. The first woman to be granted a Nobel Prize, Curie later became the first person to earn a second one. In 1911, she received the prestigious award ā in chemistry this time ā for her isolation of radium and other accomplishments. During World War I, Curie used her radiography expertise to set up dozens of mobile and permanent X-ray stations, which helped doctors diagnose and treat battlefield injuries. They became known as āpetites Curiesā for their famous creator. Decades of handling radioactive materials ā the effects of which were poorly understood at the time ā ultimately took a toll on Curie. She developed muscle aches, anemia, cataracts and a host of other symptoms. She died on July 4, 1934, of leukemia caused by exposure to radiation. In 1995, the remains of Curie and her husband were enshrined in Parisās Pantheon, a mausoleum reserved for distinguished French thinkers. She became the second woman to receive this honor and the first to earn it through her own achievements.
