Marie Curie is famous for discovering the element Radium.Its atomic number is 88 and its symbol is Ra. She discovered it in 1898.

Marie was interested in the study of radiation, which was discovered by Becquerel in 1896. So she decided to experiment with pitchblende which is a major ore of Uranium and Radium. She discovered that the pitchblende also contained Radium.

Pitchblende

People back in 1898 were very sexist and Marie was a female scientist so other male scientist found it very hard to believe that she was capable of doing any original work that she was involved in. Only her husband believed in her and worked with her.

Pierre and Marie

Marie Curie discovered radium which now is used for x-rays. Without radium, then you wouldn't know if your bones are broken or not which is quite serious.

X-Rays

Those Authority would not believe that Marie discovered Radium because she was a woman and people were very sexist back then and they probably thought that someone else discovered it and she took the credit.Or they would praise her for her great discovery and say it is a scientific revolution.

Marie in her X-Ray vehicle.