Profile of the Day: Pierre Curie

Today we remember French physicist Pierre Curie, who died on April 19, 1906 at the age of 46. Considered one of the founding fathers of modern physics, Curie is best known for his groundbreaking work in radioactive studies alongside his wife, Marie Curie.

 Image: Pierre Curie / Wikimedia Commons

Curie was born on May 15, 1859 to Eugène Curie and Sophie-Claire Depouilly. His father was a doctor and trained Curie in math and science. From a young age, Curie showed a strong aptitude in both fields.

In 1895, he married fellow scientist Maria Skłodowska. The couple pioneered the study of radioactive materials and discovered the elements radium and polonium during their research. In 1903, he received the Nobel Prize in Physics along with his wife and French physicist Henri Becquerel.

Curie died suddenly in a street accident on April 19, 1906 in Paris, France. He had slipped and fell under a heavy horse-drawn cart while crossing a busy street in the rain. He was killed instantly.

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