A few weeks ago we began with this series of articles in which we give the stage to those women who have been doing outstanding things for our world. We started talking about the bountiful input Maria Montessori gave the fields of education and child development, and today we want to talk about another praiseworthy woman: Marie Curie.
Marie Curie was born in Poland in the month of November 1867. She was a chemist and a physicist who led studies and research on radioactivity. Even more than that, she actually discovered two new elements, which help humanity even today.
Who was Marie Curie and what did she discover?
Marie Curie was a pioneer at a time when women weren’t even considered or allowed in many fields. She was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize and the first person ever to win it twice. Among the many theories she developed, she created the theory of radioactivity and worked on techniques for isolating radioactive isotopes.
Curie also discovered two elements: polonium (she named it this in reference to her homeland), and radium. Thanks to her research and conclusions, we can now practice many science and medical-related methods, which were unknown back then.
This spectacular woman took the field she loved and its principals as far as she could go. She didn’t only study and research, but also took her knowledge in radiology to field hospitals during World War I and that exposure to radiation caused her death in 1966.
What things do we use today thanks to Curie’s research?
Have you ever had an accident while playing sports? Have you ever broken a leg? Well, if the answer is yes, you had to go to the Emergency Room for someone to do an X-ray exam to verify whether or not your bones are broken. Next time you go through this process, you should thank Marie Curie.
Thanks to her discoveries of both radium and polonium (which won her two Nobel prizes in Chemistry and Physics), she was able to assist in the development of the X-rays, creating an immensely positive impact in the worlds of health, medicine, and technology.
Marie Curie’s life philosophy
In her many famous quotes, Marie Curie shows us the relevance of her work and the importance of including more women in the fields of STEM, coding, science, and tech. With some of these phrases, she shows us how strong-minded she was. With each goal, she achieved she had to work twice as hard, in an era when just because of being a woman, she had to double prove any one of her conclusions.
“Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted in something and that this thing must be attained.”
“You cannot hope to build a better world without improving the individuals. To that end, each of us must work on his own improvement and, at the same time, share a general responsibility for all humanity, our particular duty being to aid those to whom we think we can be most useful.”
“If I see anything vital around me, it is precisely that spirit of adventure, which seems indestructible and is akin to curiosity.”
What do you think about Marie Curie’s mindset? With which one of her golden quotes do you agree with more? Feel free to comment in the comments below and let the debate begin.
Marie Curie and the principles of coding
When we think about coding and the various benefits this discipline can give our kids nowadays, it might be hard to think about a connection between this and Curie’s history. But believe us, there is more than one thing we can mention.
As we’ve always mentioned, anybody can learn how to code, anyone can join our online programming courses to then create the apps, features, and technologies that will change the future. There’s just one thing required: the willingness to learn. Just like Curie said, “We must believe that we are gifted in something,” and she continued, “… it is precisely that spirit of adventure, which seems indestructible and is akin to curiosity.”
Isn’t that related to the principles of coding? We deeply believe that curiosity is one of the most important things any programmer should have and the desire to create something influential and useful for society. Coding will give learners the tools to do so in a fast, effective and accurate way.
If you want to make a true impact on the world, there is no doubt that learning how to code is a crucial first step. At TekkieUni, we offer a variety of courses intended for young and curious boys and girls who wish to take a peek at this wonderful world of coding.
