It is not easy to be a woman - especially if you live at the turn of the XIX-XX centuries and you dream about something, in addition to happiness to be a wife and mother. Maria Sklodovskaya-Curie is the only French representative in the world, who doubled the Nobel Prize for his contribution to the development of science. "The mother of radioactive physics" forever entered the story, but at one time almost became a victim of public opinion, which did not want to recognize her merit.
Serantly childhood Maria showed curiosity and desire to learn. And no wonder. It was born in 1867 in Warsaw, in the family of Polish teachers Vladislav Sklodovsky and Bronislav Bogunskaya. Father taught physics, and his mother held the position of director of the gymnasium, but subsequently was forced to leave his post due to illness. She died from tuberculosis when Mary was barely tent years old. Soon the older sister of Sophia also died. On the unlucky coincidence of the father was fired because of his anti-state sentiment, and he was forced to interrupt on low-paid work. These events led to the fact that Maria lost faith in God. On the contrary, the desire to understand the world and naturally explain its manifestations developed its interest in science.
Sklodowsky had extensive dating in scientists, and at home they were constantly some of the celebrities. So, Dmitry Mendeleev, seeing, with what passion the girl spends experiments in the laboratory, exclaimed: "Yes, it will become an excellent chemist!". Gymnasium Maria graduated with a gold medal. However, further training at the university was questionable: the possibility of obtaining higher education for women in the Priviline province, which was part of the Russian Empire, were limited. For several years, Maria attended the underground higher women's educational courses, the so-called Flying University. And also worked as a governess to collect money for training in the sorponne of the older sister Bronislava. That, in turn, promised to help her - they had such an agreement.
Maria Sklodovskaya-Curie with family
Photo: ru.wikipedia.org.
In the rich estate, Sklodovskaya's pike not only gave the lessons with five Barchuk, but also secretly taught the peasant children that at that time it was affected and threatened with reference to Siberia. But the girl was not only a solid character, but also a good heart. In addition, she was Milovoid, smart, I knew how to skate, fond of horse riding and composed poems. It is not surprising that she was able to conquer the heart of the eldest son of the owner, Kazimage Zhuravsky, who came to the estate on vacation. The feeling was mutual, the young couple laid perfectly with each other. However, having learned about this, the Zhuravsky-senior came into rage: he was kept in the bride with a nagging girl, and not some poor governess. Kazimierzh did not dare to oppose the will of the parents. Hot summer ended, and he returned to continue his studies at the university. On Maria, the incident made a strong impression. She concluded that men could not believe, and in a letter to Bronislava promised "Never again to take over himself either to people nor events."
Love and chemistry
In 1891, our heroine was finally able to fulfill his dream and enroll in Sorbonne. Bronisala by that time married Polish emigrant, medical student. She invited sister to settle in the apartment, which they filmed together with her husband. However, Maria did not want to burden his relatives and after some time decided to move, removing a small room in the cold attic of the Latin Quarter. At the University of Sklodovskaya remembered as one of the most zealous female students; In the afternoon she was engaged, and in the evening he worked as a tutor. Scarce money was barely enough for food, she drove clothes to holes. Once at the lecture, the girl even fell in a hungry faint.
In the wedding trip Maria and Pierre went on bikes
Photo: ru.wikipedia.org.
But it is its strong character, who was fascinated by Pierre Curie to her. To his thirty-five years he has already managed to make several scientific discoveries, he taught in a prestigious school of physics and chemistry, and also headed the laboratory. Marya just needed a place to conduct research. They were introduced to a colleague, a professor of Polish origin. And the first meeting, and the impression that Pierre produced on her, the girl remembered for life. "I was shocked by the expression of his bright eyes and the feeling of some kind of accuracy that came from his high figure. His speech, a little slow and thoughtful, his simplicity, his serious and at the same time a youthful smile caused confidence. " He also recognized that he fell in love when she saw her thin, gentle hands, isolated with acid. However, the first offer of the hand and heart of the Sklodovskaya rejected: still freshly in mind the old love wound was in mind, in addition, after graduating from the university, she wanted to return to Poland to find a job there and take care of the elder father.
With hot, Pierre stated that he was ready to go along with her and being close, even if he had only a French teacher until the end of the days. However, there was no place at home for Mary, to the teaching position of women, albeit graduates of sorbonna, took reluctantly. And the long-term separation with Pierre helped her to realize another very important thing. "Each of us realized that he could not find the best satellite of life," she recorded then in the diary. On July 26, 1895, they played a modest civil wedding. Maria refused to be married in the church, he shocked her relatives. The bride's ceremony came in a modest dark blue dress - in which over the years worked in his laboratory for many years. In the wedding trip, the newlyweds went on bicycles that they were presented by friends.
Current lived poorly, but happily. They were united by love not only to each other, but also to science. Pierre lectured to earn at least some money, and after hurried home - to conduct experiments. Together with Maria, they interfered with boiling solutions with clocks, put the most complicated experiments. And felt the full relationship of the shower. "My husband is the limit of my dreams. I could never imagine that I would be near him. He is a real heavenly gift, and the longer we live together, the more we love each other, "will write Maria. In 1897, the family had happened in the family: the first daughter of Irene was born. However, the baby sent to her grandfather. Scientific research and complex consumer conditions did not allow parents to engage in its upbringing properly. Interestingly, in the future Irene actually repeated the fate of the mother: he also married the chemist and just like Maria, became the Nobel Prize laureate - it was awarded for research in the field of radioactivity.
Maria Sklodovskaya-Curie and Albert Einstein
Photo: ru.wikipedia.org.
Causes routine work - going through samples of minerals, - Maria noted that during the experiments, some behave atypically. Its assumption was very bold: maybe samples contain a new and no one who does not know the radioactive substance. For several years, Pierre and Maria tried to synthesize him, and finally the whole world learned about the existence of radium. This discovery stuck the public. In 1903, the candidacy of Pierre Curie was declared to the Nobel Prize. Nobody heard about Marya, he was considered just a modest assistant talented husband. And the more surprising was his statement that he was ready to accept the award only in one case - dividing it with his wife, because they are their common success. So for the first time the Nobel laureate became a woman.
In 1904, the second daughter, Eve was born in the Curie family. (Unlike sister, she did not have interest in science, she chose an art historian profession. But wrote a mother's biography, which was later shielded). By that time, both scientists had already had a certain weight, Pierre taught in Sorbonne, Maria headed his laboratory. Their financial situation improved, Curie was able to hire a governess to raise girls. It would seem that life came to a new level: success, recognition, financial well-being, it was possible to engage in science, and raise daughters, but, alas, happiness did not last long. Cruel, Veliad Accident broke the life of Pierre. Turning the road to heavy rain, he did not have time to react on the racing horse carriage on time and was crushed by his wheels. At that time, the scientist was only forty-six years.
Scandalous Adulter
After the tragic death of her husband, Mary plunged into depression. The leadership of the University of Paris offered her to lead the Department of Physics, which Pierre was led before. So Sklodovskaya-Curie became the first in the history of sorponna a woman-professor. However, this was not happy. "How sad it is hopeless! You would be happy, seeing how I teach in Sorbonne, I myself would have done it very willing to you. But do it instead of you ... oh, my Pierre, could even dream something more terrible? " - She recorded in the diary on November 5, 1906.
In these hard days, the work has become a real salvation. An American Multimillioner Andrew Carnegie, touched by her grief, helped the widow to establish a laboratory that was equipped with the most modern equipment. Soon she turned into a small factory for the production of radioactive radium. Then Maria did not know about the consequences of radiation, so all his experiments spent without protection. Her assistant was Chemist Andre-Louis Debjun, who, as they rumored, was hopelessly in love with Mrs. Curi. But she could not answer reciprocity. Four years of Maria observed Mourning on Pierre. And suddenly, in the summer of 1910, she again began to wear colored dresses, others could not help but notice what she looks like a loose and satisfied life.
In addition to the research and teaching work, Curie consulted doctors
Photo: ru.wikipedia.org.
The reason for such a stripping change was the former graduate student of her husband, Paul Lanzhen. He was younger than Mary for five years and is formally married, but this marriage cracked on the seams. The spouse often rolled him the scandals with a hacking slaughter and beating the dishes. In the end, without sustaining such a lifetime, Lanzhen left the house and appealed to the court with a claim for separate residence. Not the last role in this decision was played by his feelings for Mary.
Having learned about the romantic passion of her husband, Ms. Lanzhen came to rage. In some way, the promotion of a love correspondence from Curie, she sold her to the journal's boulevard newspaper, her relatives worked there. The article "The Love History of Madame Curie and Professor Lanzhen" appeared on the first lane of the newspaper on November 4, 1911, just at the moment when both scientists were on the Scientific Congress in Brussels. The public busheval: Polka was accused of defeated the "exemplary French family," and demanded to dismiss it from the department. The newsprints were not shy to express dirty assumptions: supposedly Sklodovskaya started an incineration while her husband's life, because of what he committed suicide. Returning from Congress, Maria discovered an angry crowd in front of the house. An unhappy woman with two daughters (Junior Eve at that time was only seven years old) had to look for refuge with friends.
Many then turned away from her. Chemist Svana Arrhenius, who had previously proposed to nominate the candidacy of Sklodovskaya Curie to the Nobel Prize, wrote to her so that she did not come to Stockholm to the hand ceremony. "The case can turn into a scandal in front of the king, and that we would like to avoid any price," he explained. "I believe that there is no connection between my scientific work and private life. I disagree with the opinion that the slander and the depreciation of a good name can influence the assessment of my scientific activity, "Maria answered sharply. In Stockholm, she still decided to go.
Again, becoming the Nobel laureate - this time in chemistry, Sklodovskaya-Curie returned to Paris, where he demanded from the newsmen to apologize for the publication of the fake information discharged: "... Based on I have the right I need significant amounts to be used in the quality of compensation to be used. I am on scientific research. " Many were frightened and apologized, but this story strongly undermined the moral spirit and health of Mary. Because of the kidney disease, it was forced to make an operation in a private clinic, under a stranger name. France never returned. It was very disappointed. Paul, like her first love Kazimierzh, was weak by character and did not dare to give a divorce. Maria decided that they were far from Paris it would be easier for her to experience the happening, and adopted an invitation to physics Gerti Ayrton to live for some time in England. This woman was hardly the only one of his colleagues stretching her hand help her.
In the film "Maria Curie", the main role was played by Carolina Pear
Dangerous talisman
During World War I, Sklodovskaya-Curie showed itself a real patriot. She wanted to give all his gold awards for scientific achievements to contribute to the support of the army. However, the National Bank of France refused to accept her donations. Nevertheless, she spent all the funds that got along with the Nobel Prize. Together with the daughter of Irene, who was still a teenager, they went through military hospitals and trained doctors to make X-ray radiated to more successfully carry out operations. Mobile radius devices were called "Little Curi". During the war years, more than a million soldiers took advantage.
In the post-war years, Sklodovskaya-Curie led research and teaching activities in the radium institute, which founded. For his life, she wrote more than thirty articles, raised the whole Pleiad of young scientists who became successors of her business. Periodically, she made a trip to the native Poland, where he advised doctors and in every way contributed to the use of radium in medicine. On the neck as a talisman in a special ampoule, Maria wore one gram of this substance, which brought her success and world fame. She did not know that her brainchild keeps the deadly danger in himself.
Mary's health has worsened rapidly. In 1934, she made a car trip to the company Bronislava sisters, as a result of which he was very cold. The temperature was held for a very long time. However, it was not a consequence of a cold, but the diseases that were subsequently called radiation. On July 4, Maria died from leukemia, who accepted an acute form. At first she was buried on the cemetery in CO (O-de Sen), in the grave of Pierre. But in 1995, the French government decided to transfer the remains of an outstanding woman to Paris Pantheon. It is buried in a special coffin with protection against radioactive radiation, and all those who wish to inspect the personal belongings of Curies warn of possible danger. Only through one and a half thousand years, radiation will completely disappear.
"There is no need to lead such unnatural life, which I led. I gave a lot of time science, because I had a striving for her because I loved scientific research. All I wish to women and young girls is a simple family life and work, what interests them, "Curie wrote. Was she happy? Quite. After all, fate sent her a favorite thing, and a man who divided her dreams and feelings.