Radioactivity: Matter's Hidden Energy

The Curies' discovery of radioactivity transformed understanding of matter itself. Marie Curie's systematic investigation of uranium rays, building on Henri Becquerel's accidental discovery, revealed that atoms weren't indivisible but could transform and release energy. Her term "radioactivity" entered global vocabulary, naming a phenomenon that would reshape science and society.

The isolation of polonium and radium required processing tons of pitchblende in primitive conditions. Marie Curie's laboratory notebooks, still radioactive after a century, testify to the physical demands of early nuclear research. Her two Nobel Prizes—in Physics (1903) and Chemistry (1911)—recognized both discovering radioactivity's nature and isolating radioactive elements.

French research on radioactivity's applications proceeded alongside fundamental understanding. The Institut du Radium, established in 1914, combined research with medical applications. Early radiation therapy for cancer, though crude by modern standards, pioneered using nuclear physics for healing. This integration of discovery and application characterized French nuclear science.

The tragic death of Marie Curie from aplastic anemia, likely caused by radiation exposure, highlighted the dangers researchers faced before radiation's hazards were understood. French safety protocols for handling radioactive materials, developed through hard experience, became international standards. Understanding nature sometimes demands sacrifice.