Fun fun fun, science science science: (thanks to todayinsci.com)

The Curie's

In 1903, The Times newspaper reported that the French physicist, Pierre Curie assisted by Mme Curie, communicated to the Academy of Sciences that the recently discovered Radium “possesses the extraordinary property of continuously emitting heat, without combustion, without chemical change of any kind, and without any change to its molecular structure, which remains spectroscopically identical after many months of continuous emission of heat … such that the pure Radium salt would melt more than its own weight of ice every hour … A small tube containing Radium, if kept in contact with the skin for some hours … produces an open sore, by destroying the epidermis and the true skin beneath … and cause the death of living things whose nerve centres do not lie deep enough to be shielded from their influence.”

In 5th grade I did a book report on Marie Curie and I wore a dress for the class presentation. I can’t recall if i did a good job. The gimmick makes me believe that I was low on historic, informative content.  I do remember how sad the end of Curie’s life became with the horse trampling death of her husband, and her eventual cancer death due to high exposure to radioactive material. She used to keep radio active material in her desk drawer.  Curie is the only person to win 2 Nobel prizes. It’s a Women’s History month moment!

And a bonus moment: (continue reading…)