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Marie Curie

Marie Curie was a Polish-born French physicist and chemist best known for pioneering research on radioactivity.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 26, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

Marie Curie was a Polish-born French physicist and chemist best known for pioneering research on radioactivity. She discovered the elements polonium and radium, won Nobel Prizes in Physics and Chemistry, and became the first woman to receive a Nobel Prize and the only person to win in two different scientific fields.

Early life and education

Marie Curie was born Maria Skłodowska in Warsaw in 1867 and later moved to France, where she pursued advanced scientific study. She became a leading figure in European physics and chemistry.

Scientific discoveries

Working with Pierre Curie, she discovered the elements polonium and radium and advanced the study of radioactivity. Her research also influenced later medical uses of radiation.

Nobel Prizes and recognition

Curie received the 1903 Nobel Prize in Physics and the 1911 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. She remains the only person to have won Nobel Prizes in two different scientific fields.

Death and legacy

Curie died in 1934 in France after an illness; multiple sources connect her death to aplastic anemia and long-term radiation exposure. Her work shaped modern physics, chemistry, radiology, and cancer treatment.

Key facts

  • Curie studied radioactivity and helped establish it as a scientific field.
  • She and Pierre Curie discovered polonium and radium in 1898.
  • She shared the 1903 Nobel Prize in Physics for research on radiation phenomena.
  • She won the 1911 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for work on radium and radioactivity.
  • She was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize and the first person to win two Nobel Prizes.
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Canadian context

Marie Curie’s work helped establish radioactivity research and radiation medicine, fields that are important to Canadian science, university research, and cancer treatment.

Frequently asked questions

Who is Marie Curie?
Marie Curie was a Polish-born French physicist and chemist known for pioneering research on radioactivity and for being the first woman to win a Nobel Prize.
What did Marie Curie discover?
She discovered the radioactive elements polonium and radium with Pierre Curie, and her research helped define the scientific study of radioactivity.
How did Marie Curie die?
She died on 4 July 1934 after a short illness; later accounts identify aplastic anemia, likely linked to prolonged radiation exposure.
How many Nobel Prizes did Marie Curie win?
She won two Nobel Prizes: Physics in 1903 and Chemistry in 1911.
What is Marie Curie famous for?
She is famous for her pioneering work on radioactivity, the discovery of polonium and radium, and for being the first woman to win a Nobel Prize.

References

  1. Nobel Prize — https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/physics/1903/marie-curie/biographical/
    Supports: Birth, discoveries, 1903 Physics Nobel, 1911 Chemistry Nobel, death date and place
  2. Encyclopaedia Britannica — https://www.britannica.com/biography/Marie-Curie
    Supports: Biography, discoveries, fame, Nobel Prizes, nationality, death
  3. Science History Institute — https://www.sciencehistory.org/education/scientific-biographies/marie-sklodowska-curie/
    Supports: Two Nobel Prizes, radioactivity research, discovery of polonium and radium
  4. UNESCO — https://www.unesco.org/en/virtual-science-museum/women-science/marie-sklodowska-curie
    Supports: Discovery of polonium and radium, first person to win two Nobel Prizes
  5. Biography.com — https://www.biography.com/scientists/marie-curie
    Supports: Death cause commonly attributed to aplastic anemia from radiation exposure
  6. Marie Curie — https://www.mariecurie.org.uk/about-us/our-history/marie-curie-the-scientist
    Supports: Death details, aplastic pernicious anaemia, radiation exposure, Nobel Prizes
  7. Nobel Prize — https://www.nobelprize.org/stories/women-who-changed-science/marie-curie/
    Supports: Only individual to receive Nobel Prize in two different science categories, legacy in medicine and radioactivity