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The Nobel Prize in Physics in 1903

Early Research: In the late 19th century, Marie Curie became fascinated with the work of Henri Becquerel, a French physicist who discovered that uranium casts off rays weaker than X - rays4. Curie took his work further and conducted her own experiments on uranium rays. She discovered that the rays remained constant, regardless of the condition or form of the uranium, and theorized that the rays came from the element's atomic structure, coining the term "radioactivity"4.

Collaboration with Pierre Curie: Marie Curie married Pierre Curie in 1895, and they began to work together on the research into radioactive matter5. They focused on the mineral pitchblende and, through a series of painstaking experiments, discovered a new radioactive element in 1898, which they named polonium, after Marie's native country of Poland4. They also detected the presence of another radioactive material in the pitchblende, which they called radium4. In 1902, the Curies announced that they had produced a decigram of pure radium, demonstrating its existence as a unique chemical element4.

The Nobel Award: In 1903, Marie Curie, along with her husband Pierre Curie and Henri Becquerel, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics "for their work on radioactivity"4. This award recognized their joint efforts in discovering and studying the phenomenon of radioactivity, which had opened up a new field of research in physics and laid the foundation for future studies in nuclear science. With this win, the Curies gained international fame for their scientific achievements, and they used the prize money to continue their research.

The Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1911

Continued Research: After the death of Pierre Curie in 1906, Marie Curie was deeply shocked but determined to go on working5. She continued her research on radium, focusing on its properties and applications. She isolated pure radium metal and conducted extensive studies on its chemical and physical characteristics. Her work not only deepened the understanding of radium but also had important implications for the field of chemistry.

The Second Nobel Award: In 1911, Marie Curie was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry "for her discovery of radium and polonium"4. This time, she received the prize alone, although she shared the honor jointly with her late husband in her acceptance lecture4. The award recognized her outstanding contributions to the discovery and characterization of these new elements, which had significantly expanded the periodic table and had important applications in various fields, including medicine and industry. Marie Curie became the first person to win Nobel Prizes in two different scientific fields, a remarkable achievement that solidified her status as one of the most important scientists of her time.