Madame Curie Story: How Radium Was Discovered in a Shed
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Awesome to see another valid science and physics history lesson Kathy Loves Physics.
Date: 2022-12-27
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Comments and reviews: 19
Steve
Interestingly, a few years ago, a BBC R4 radio programme profile Marie Curie, and a feminist science historian who was brought in, characterised her as being a terrible role model for modern women and would be female scientists, precisely because she sacrificed so much of her life to the single-minded pursuit of science. To her mind, this ought not to be necessary, and they presented it as pandering to a male model of sacrificing family and other values. It sort of missed the idea of a vocation, and just how dedicated that some scientists were to that role. In any event, I think we should all be in awe of both her energy and her intelligence
Of course, as was famously once stated genius is 99% perspiration, a 1% inspiration (your exact ratio might vary. Edison is oft quoted as the source of this, but I'm always reluctant to attribute such aphorisms to one person unless very well documented.
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Interestingly, a few years ago, a BBC R4 radio programme profile Marie Curie, and a feminist science historian who was brought in, characterised her as being a terrible role model for modern women and would be female scientists, precisely because she sacrificed so much of her life to the single-minded pursuit of science. To her mind, this ought not to be necessary, and they presented it as pandering to a male model of sacrificing family and other values. It sort of missed the idea of a vocation, and just how dedicated that some scientists were to that role. In any event, I think we should all be in awe of both her energy and her intelligence
Of course, as was famously once stated genius is 99% perspiration, a 1% inspiration (your exact ratio might vary. Edison is oft quoted as the source of this, but I'm always reluctant to attribute such aphorisms to one person unless very well documented.
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Charles
Great video exploration of the beginning of understanding the atom. I just got back from Warszawa, Poland and got to see the Curie Home from the outside. Its likely a reconstruction since that area of Warszawa suffered under German occupation during WWII, but wow. I didnt know that much about Marie and Pierres history, nor that she was such a fervent nationalist, perhaps ethnicist, since Poland didnt exist as a country at that time. What an amazing combination of intelligence, youthful zeal, passion and idealism. I loved the use of piezo-electric effect as a current measuring device. What a scientific team she and Pierre formed. I particularly like Pierres wooing aspirational quote to Marie about using science to change the course of history. They did. Probably not exactly in the ways they thought at the time.
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Great video exploration of the beginning of understanding the atom. I just got back from Warszawa, Poland and got to see the Curie Home from the outside. Its likely a reconstruction since that area of Warszawa suffered under German occupation during WWII, but wow. I didnt know that much about Marie and Pierres history, nor that she was such a fervent nationalist, perhaps ethnicist, since Poland didnt exist as a country at that time. What an amazing combination of intelligence, youthful zeal, passion and idealism. I loved the use of piezo-electric effect as a current measuring device. What a scientific team she and Pierre formed. I particularly like Pierres wooing aspirational quote to Marie about using science to change the course of history. They did. Probably not exactly in the ways they thought at the time.
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hungrysoles
Madame Curie worked closely with the Flannery Brothers from Pittsburgh, who manufactured Radium and died from their exposure it. She visited Pittsburgh in the 1920s. There was a place in Canonsburg, Pa, where Radium wade that was be fenced off because of its high contamination by the substance. It was also used as a substance that made watches glow in the dark and many of the women who painted the Radium on the watch faces died of Radium poisoning.
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Madame Curie worked closely with the Flannery Brothers from Pittsburgh, who manufactured Radium and died from their exposure it. She visited Pittsburgh in the 1920s. There was a place in Canonsburg, Pa, where Radium wade that was be fenced off because of its high contamination by the substance. It was also used as a substance that made watches glow in the dark and many of the women who painted the Radium on the watch faces died of Radium poisoning.
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AxeMastersINC
Marie Curie was a photographer. Radium-226 isolated from pitchblende by Dr. Pierre Curie. . 1898 was trying to see what made lighting bugs glow in the dark. She brought her negatives in for him to develop. She put them next to his vacuum tube and he developed them. She brought them back to him asking what did you do to my pictures you ruined them. And now they give her all, the credit. Idiots.
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Marie Curie was a photographer. Radium-226 isolated from pitchblende by Dr. Pierre Curie. . 1898 was trying to see what made lighting bugs glow in the dark. She brought her negatives in for him to develop. She put them next to his vacuum tube and he developed them. She brought them back to him asking what did you do to my pictures you ruined them. And now they give her all, the credit. Idiots.
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Jack
Wow. almost 15 extra minutes of Kathy talking about history. It's good to be alive.
Great job as usual and, as always, I learned something new. I don't care how much you think you know, there's always something new to learn in any subject. You seem to bring the fun little nuances of history together with science in a way I've never seen before. Way cool and way fun!
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Wow. almost 15 extra minutes of Kathy talking about history. It's good to be alive.
Great job as usual and, as always, I learned something new. I don't care how much you think you know, there's always something new to learn in any subject. You seem to bring the fun little nuances of history together with science in a way I've never seen before. Way cool and way fun!
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TruckerEnoch
I'm related to a very famous physicist from that time and he was a strong public advocate for getting women into the sciences. Especially chemistry, because he thought their experience in the kitchen gave them a unique understanding of thermodynamics and chemistry that would be well suited in the lab. Harriet Brooks was actually a student of his.
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I'm related to a very famous physicist from that time and he was a strong public advocate for getting women into the sciences. Especially chemistry, because he thought their experience in the kitchen gave them a unique understanding of thermodynamics and chemistry that would be well suited in the lab. Harriet Brooks was actually a student of his.
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Allan
Personal ad: Frenchman with magnetic personality seeks hot Polish babe. Object: wedding bells and No-bels.
(Pierre Curie also researched magnetism, and the temperature at which permanent magnets made of a given material lose their magnetism is called the Curie point in his honor)
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Personal ad: Frenchman with magnetic personality seeks hot Polish babe. Object: wedding bells and No-bels.
(Pierre Curie also researched magnetism, and the temperature at which permanent magnets made of a given material lose their magnetism is called the Curie point in his honor)
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Julian
I wish i could join u on Patron, u deserve it but i'm broke: ( Never the less, i'm already advertising you from Colombia, telling everybody about ur awesome videos. Keep it up, you are doing great. Best of lucks Kathy, i'll be waiting for your Rutherford video. Much love
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I wish i could join u on Patron, u deserve it but i'm broke: ( Never the less, i'm already advertising you from Colombia, telling everybody about ur awesome videos. Keep it up, you are doing great. Best of lucks Kathy, i'll be waiting for your Rutherford video. Much love
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George
Marie worked as a governess to fund her sister Bronia's studies in the Sorbonne to become a physician. The plan was that once qualified, Bronia would then fund Maria (Marie) to study chemistry and physics, also in the Sorbonne - a rather clever funding model!
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Marie worked as a governess to fund her sister Bronia's studies in the Sorbonne to become a physician. The plan was that once qualified, Bronia would then fund Maria (Marie) to study chemistry and physics, also in the Sorbonne - a rather clever funding model!
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Lily
Kathy, I discovered your videos while trying to prepare for a new module I am teaching on modern physics - I have included several of them in my syllabus as required watching. I think you are the greatest science communicator I have ever seen.
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Kathy, I discovered your videos while trying to prepare for a new module I am teaching on modern physics - I have included several of them in my syllabus as required watching. I think you are the greatest science communicator I have ever seen.
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Robert
Hi, thanks for the video, the story of Marie Curie is one of the greatest in the history of science. BTW, don't you mean thorium instead of thallium? (for the other element besides uranium that Curie discovered was radioactive.
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Hi, thanks for the video, the story of Marie Curie is one of the greatest in the history of science. BTW, don't you mean thorium instead of thallium? (for the other element besides uranium that Curie discovered was radioactive.
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Glen
Thank you. Great video.
Marie and Pierre Curie inspired me to become a chemist. I saw the old Madam Curie movie as an 8-year-old.
I have ancestors and relatives from Austria, France and Poland.
Thanks again.
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Thank you. Great video.
Marie and Pierre Curie inspired me to become a chemist. I saw the old Madam Curie movie as an 8-year-old.
I have ancestors and relatives from Austria, France and Poland.
Thanks again.
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Kevincarr
Kathy, Ive watched every one of your history of electricity videos, up until this one so far. Anyways, I love your videos. You are amazing. You explain the history so well its awesome.
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Kathy, Ive watched every one of your history of electricity videos, up until this one so far. Anyways, I love your videos. You are amazing. You explain the history so well its awesome.
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MeFreeBee
I wonder how many potential geniuses have been lost to us because they didn't have the good fortune to hook up with enlightened souls such as Pierre. What a loss it would have been.
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I wonder how many potential geniuses have been lost to us because they didn't have the good fortune to hook up with enlightened souls such as Pierre. What a loss it would have been.
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Sam
Fitting that Marie Curie would live a monostatic existence. I'm sure she would enjoy playing with lone charges.
Her MONASTIC existence, however, is a sad tale.
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Fitting that Marie Curie would live a monostatic existence. I'm sure she would enjoy playing with lone charges.
Her MONASTIC existence, however, is a sad tale.
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jerzy
Your stories are unbelievably interesting. And scientific at the same time. Finally something for those who know a few things and are bored with videos for everyone.
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Your stories are unbelievably interesting. And scientific at the same time. Finally something for those who know a few things and are bored with videos for everyone.
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Y-Me
I have generally read about this couple and their discovery(ies, but this vid was very well presented and complete. Fascinating! Thanks, Kathy. Good job, as usual.
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I have generally read about this couple and their discovery(ies, but this vid was very well presented and complete. Fascinating! Thanks, Kathy. Good job, as usual.
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DaveRyanShow
Currently reading Radium Girls and came here to find out more about it. Great and interesting content! Thanks for sharing your knowledge and enthusiausm!
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Currently reading Radium Girls and came here to find out more about it. Great and interesting content! Thanks for sharing your knowledge and enthusiausm!
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McKenzie
I know this is an old video. I just found you. Great video. I had only heard bits and pieces of Marie Curie's story. It was great to hear so much more of it.
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I know this is an old video. I just found you. Great video. I had only heard bits and pieces of Marie Curie's story. It was great to hear so much more of it.
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