Claire Throp - Marie Curie

Marie and Pierres eldest daughter, Irne, later won a Nobel Prize herself. Alongwith her husband, Frdric, she won the prize for chemistry in 1935.

Marie Curie is one of the best-known scientists in the world.

Marie Curie was born Maria Sklodowska in Warsaw (then part of the Russian Empire,but now in Poland) on November 7, 1867. Maria was the youngest of five childrenshe had three sisters and one brother. Her parents were teachers and made sure that their daughters were as well educated as their son. This was unusual at the time. Boys were expected to get a job when they grew up, whereas girls were supposed to get married, have children, and stay at home to care for their family. This often meant that the education of girls was not considered important.

Maria (center) is seen here with her brother and sisters.

Maria got her love of science from her father, Wladislaw, who was a math and physics teacher. At the time, Warsaw was ruled by the Russian Empire, which greatly angered Marias father. His feelings caused him to lose a good teaching position. The family was very poor. Zosia, Marias eldest sister, died of a disease called typhus when Maria was only eight. Marias mother, Bronislawa, died from a disease called tuberculosis two years later, when Maria was 10.

Marias mother died in May 1878. She was 42 years old.

Marias principal had suggested to Marias father that he hold her back a year. Although Maria was at the top of her class, she was very sensitive. Instead, Wladislaw pulled her out of that school and sent her to a Russian-run school that focused on extremely intelligent children. In 1883 Maria at the top of her high school class at the young age of 15.

After she finished school, Maria had to study when and where she could. As a woman, she was forbidden from going to college in Warsaw.

The University of Warsaw did not accept women students at the time Maria was ready to go to college. Instead, she studied at Warsaws floating university. This was a set of classes held in secret and in different places, so that they would not be caught by the citys Russian rulers. Anyone who took part in the floating university could be punished.

Maria and her sister Bronya knew they had to study abroad if they wanted to gain for five years from the age of 18, while Bronya studied at medical school in Paris. As soon as Bronya was earning enough, she would help to pay for Marias degree.

In 1891, Maria finally made it to Paris. When she arrived to register at the Sorbonne, a top French university, she wrote the French version of her nameMarierather than Maria. From then on, she called herself Marie. She had very little money, and her health began to suffer as she tried to survive on just tea or cocoa and bread and butter.