Marie Curiehd -
: In 1910, after years of processing tons of ore, she successfully isolated pure metallic radium, an achievement that earned her the 1911 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Medical and Humanitarian Impact
: Shared with Pierre Curie and Henri Becquerel for their joint research on radiation phenomena. Marie CurieHD
: She proved that radiation was an atomic property rather than a result of molecular interactions, a "revolutionary" discovery that challenged existing beliefs that atoms were solid and indivisible. : In 1910, after years of processing tons
: Her research laid the groundwork for radiotherapy , using radiation to destroy diseased cells and treat tumors, which evolved into modern cancer treatment. : Her research laid the groundwork for radiotherapy
: Working with her husband, Pierre Curie, she discovered two new radioactive elements in 1898: polonium (named after her native Poland) and radium .