Skłodowska, Maria Salomea
The Polish Maria Salomea Skłodowska (1867 - 1934), daughter to a teacher, was a physicist and chemist.
She married the French physicist Pierre Curie. Together they studied uranium minerals and discovered the chemical elements thorium, polonium and radium.
They found that tumour-forming cells were destroyed by radiation faster than healthy cells.
During World War I, she became the director of the Red Cross Radiology Service. She directed the installation of 20 mobile radiological vehicles and another 200 radiological units at field hospitals. She was serving as a radiologist in field hospitals during the war.
Se and her husband lent their name to to the curie, the unit of activity. The chemical element 96 curium (Cm) is named in their honour.
See also
Last modified:10 January 2026 1.38 p.m.