Remarkable People

We were inspired to look more closely at some of the key figures that appear in our Little History books by an interaction with a reader on the Little History facebook page. We really liked the idea of finding out what the series has to say about all sorts of ‘remarkable people’, both heroes and villains, and we’re putting together this resource for you to explore. Whether you’re looking for help with your homework (!), or trying to fill a gap in your knowledge, Little History books and their cast of characters have plenty to offer.

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Marie Curie

Polish 1903 Nobel Prize winner in physics, 1911 Nobel Prize winner in chemistry and pioneer of radioactivity research

1867 – 1934

Marie Curie was a Polish physicist and chemist who completed the majority of her research in France. In 1903, Curie and her husband, Pierre Curie, and their partner, physicist Henri Becquerel, were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for their compiled research on radiation. Curie was the first woman to be awarded a Nobel Prize. In 1911, she won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for her discovery of the elements radium and polonium. During the First World War, Curie used her scientific knowledge to assist the Red Cross. She produced x-ray equipment and helped to establish France’s first military radiology centre. It is believed that Curie’s death, in 1934, was a result of her long-term exposure to radiation.