BITS ‘N’ PIECES
Narrated Abu Huraira (R.A):
Allah’s Apostle (S.A.W) said, “The deeds of anyone of you will not save you (from the hell fire).” They said, “Even you (will not be saved by your deeds), O Allah's Apostle?” He said, “No, even I (will not be saved) unless and until Allah bestows His mercy on me. Therefore, do good deeds properly, sincerely and moderately, and worship Allah in the forenoon and in the afternoon and during a part of the night, and always adopt a middle, moderate, regular course whereby you will reach your target (Paradise).”
Sahih Bukhari, Volume 8, Book 76, Number 470
Marie Curie was the only person to win Nobel prizes in two scientific fields.
Marie Curie stands as a towering figure in the history of science, not only for her groundbreaking discoveries but also for the extraordinary distinction of being the only person to have received Nobel prizes in two different scientific disciplines. Her achievements in both physics and chemistry marked her as a pioneer whose work fundamentally changed the way we understand the natural world.
Born in Warsaw, Poland in 1867, Curie (née Maria Sk odowska) displayed remarkable intellectual ability from a young age. Despite the severe restrictions on women’s education in Russian-occupied Poland, she pursued her studies in secret and eventually moved to Paris to attend the Sorbonne, where she earned degrees in physics and mathematics. It was in Paris that she met her future husband and scientific collaborator, Pierre Curie.
Marie Curie first came to international prominence in 1903, when she shared the Nobel Prize in Physics with Pierre Curie and Henri Becquerel for their work on radioactivity - a term she coined herself. This award made her the first woman ever to win a Nobel prize. The discovery of radioactivity opened new doors in physics and medicine, and her contributions were central to this new branch of science.
Following Pierre’s tragic death in 1906, Marie continued their research alone, and her tireless efforts led to the isolation of two new radioactive elements - polonium and radium. In recognition of this achievement, she was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1911. This made her not only the first person to win Nobel prizes in two different sciences, but also the first person to win two Nobel prizes at all.
Curie's work had lasting impacts on both science and society. Her research laid the foundation for the development of X-rays in medical diagnosis, cancer treatment through radiotherapy, and a deeper understanding of atomic structure. During World War I, she even developed mobile X-ray units and personally trained doctors in their use on the battlefield.
What makes Marie Curie’s legacy especially powerful is not just the scientific brilliance of her work, but the personal courage and determination she displayed in an era when women were largely excluded from scientific institutions. She faced prejudice, personal tragedy, and health risks from her exposure to radiation, yet never wavered in her pursuit of knowledge. Her name lives on - in scientific institutions, medical technologies, and in the element curium, named in her honour.