Marie Curie

"The dedicated life is worth living. You must give with your whole heart"(Annie Dillard). This best describes a woman scientist who dedicated her life and gave with her "whole heart": Marie Curie. Marie Curie is a brilliant scientist and tireless researcher who was the first woman won the Nobel Prize, not only once, but twice. She launched the study of modern physics and discovered the elements radium and polonium. Curie was born in 1867 in a poor family in Poland and studied abroad in France at the University of Paris because advanced studies were not accessible to women in Poland. Later on, she received her doctorate of science and headed two laboratories at the Sorbonne University in Paris. Through out her scientific career, Marie Curie accomplished some indelible works, but more incredibly, is her spirit of never giving up on trying things and her courage and determination even when the people surrounding her were unconvinced. A true hero must have dedication, the willingness to work hard through every obstacle; and selflessness, the quality of unselfish concern for the welfare of others. Marie Curie is more than just a scientist; she is worthy of the title hero and she serves as an inspiration because of her heroic qualities such as dedication and selflessness.

Curie's dedication to the study of science is one of her most prevalent heroic traits. In 1896,  a French physicist Antoine-Henri Becquerel discovered that the element uranium emitted rays containing vast amounts of energy. This fascinated twenty nine- year- old Curie who was choosing a thesis for her doctorate, so she started her research: "Despite the primitive conditions--dirt floor, drafty windows, and perpetual dampness--within just two months she had made two important discoveries: the intensity of the rays was in direct proportion to the amount of uranium in her sample..." ("Marie Curie" Contemporary Heroes and Heroines). Curie did not care about the"primitive conditions" she lived, instead, she was attracted by the beauty of science and worked days and nights on her discoveries. With her perseverance and hard work, she spent seven years immersed in her scientific research. In 1903, she became the first woman in Europe to complete the doctorate of science. From this research, Curie discovered a new element from pitchblende and named it radium: "This did not convince many scientists, nor did it satisfy the Curies, who were determined to prove the existence of radium by extracting a measurable amount. This would be no small task, since, in order to produce even a gram of radium, several tons of pitchblende would have to be refined"("Marie Curie" World of Scientific Discovery). When no one agreed with or believed Curie, she was not pleased but tried to prove it eagerly. It was not easy to extract one gram of radium in several tons of pitchblende. Nevertheless, Curie did not choose to give up and instead repeatedly tested and devoted her mind into proving the existence of radium. After four long years of refining and purifying the pitchblende, she extracted one-tenth of a gram of radium, enough for her to base the dissertation upon. This contribution to scientific progress was significant and useful. Marie Curie dedicated her mind and spent her lifetime in the study of science and made many important discoveries and contributions for others to study in the future.

Curie's selfless spirit and self sacrifice made her a true hero. After she received the second Nobel Prize in science, the World War I began. Curie wanted to aid her adopted country France: "She invented a portable X-ray, allowing French doctors on the battlefields to locate bullets and broken bones in the bodies of wounded soldiers. She also obtained a license to drive an ambulance and collected vehicles for mobile X-ray units operated by 150 female technicians"(Success). Instead of spending the money award from the Nobel Prize on other things, Curie chose to spend it on scientific studies during the war without expecting anything in return. She utilized this selfless strength to help people survive. In her later years, whenever Curie was asked to write an autobiography, she always responded:"[My life] is such an uneventful, simple little story. I was born in Warsaw of a family of teachers. I married Pierre Curie and had two children. I have done my work in France." ...She was always exceedingly modest about her achievements and emphasized that they belonged to science, not to her.("Marie Curie"Contemporary Heroes and Heroines). Curie's "uneventful" and "simple little" life made a huge influence to today's scientific research, and even to the society. She put everything she received into her actions to benefits others. However, She only viewed herself as a pioneer or explorer of science and all her achievements and discoveries belonged to science. This demonstrates her as a humble woman with a passionate, selfless and determinate heart.

Marie Curie is truly a hero to people all around the world. Not only has she made many contributions to society, but also her inspirational qualities. She kept herself focused and never let any obstacles or restrictions get on the way to her goals. Even when her health dwindled and her husband was killed, she kept at her goal for a better understanding of science. She literally gave her life to science through her death from leukemia from her long years of exposure to radium. Curie's actions and legacy led to a new "scientific road" which also changed our everyday lives. "Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained"(Marie Curie). Just like what Curie said, life is difficult with many obstacles and hardships, but we must believe in ourselves that we can reach our final goal and we have to reach it through diligent attitude and ernest work. Curie stood confidently and showed the world what she had done in her life because of this "gift". This inspires me to dedicate myself toward my goals and do everything the best I can. She teaches me that: the success is not far away from us, it just costs unremitting effort and constant determination. Through Curie's passionate, selfless dedication to her career and to the improvement of the lives of many others, she proves to be a deserving hero.

Work Cited

Huso, Deborah. "For the love of science: Marie Curie overcame 'poverty, grief and prejudice to become a woman of discovery." Success Nov. 2011: 84+. Biography in Context. Web. 4 Apr. 2014.

"Marie Curie." Contemporary Heroes and Heroines. Vol. 2. Detroit: Gale, 1992.Biography in Context. Web. 23 Mar. 2014.

"Marie Sklodowska Curie." Encyclopedia of World Biography. Detroit: Gale, 1998.Biography in Context. Web. 4 Apr. 2014.

"Marie Curie." Notable Women Scientists. Gale, 2009. Biography in Context. Web. 24 Mar. 2014.

"Marie Curie." World of Scientific Discovery. Gale, 2006. Biography in Context. Web. 23 Mar. 2014.

McClafferty, Carla Killough. Something out of Nothing: Marie Curie and Radium. New York: Farrar Straus Giroux, 2006. Print.

Yannuzzi, Della A. New Elements: The Story of Marie Curie. Greensboro, NC: Morgan Reynolds Pub., 2006. Print.