In 1906, she became a widow at 38 with two young daughters. What she did next made her the only woman to win two Nobel Prizes

Marie Curie is remembered as one of the greatest scientists in history, but her story was also one of extraordinary resilience. In 1906, she suddenly became a widow and was left to raise two young daughters, Irène and Ève. Yet Curie did not abandon the scientific work she had built with Pierre Curie. She took over his position at the Sorbonne, continued her research into radioactivity and eventually won another Nobel Prize, becoming the only person to win Nobel Prizes in two different scientific fields.

Marie Curie was widowed with two young daughters

Marie Curie and Pierre Curie had already achieved remarkable scientific success before tragedy struck. The couple shared the 1903 Nobel Prize in Physics with Henri Becquerel for their work on radiation phenomena. Their research had led to the discovery of the radioactive elements polonium and radium.

But on April 19, 1906, Pierre Curie was killed in a street accident in Paris. Marie was suddenly left alone with their two daughters, Irène, who was nine years old, and Ève, who was two. The Nobel Prize's historical account says the shock initially overwhelmed her, but she refused a pension, saying she was able to support herself. The tragedy changed her personal life overnight, but it did not end her scientific career.

Marie Curie took over Pierre Curie’s position

Soon after Pierre's death, Marie was offered his academic position at the Sorbonne. According to NobelPrize.org, she succeeded her husband as head of the Physics Laboratory and became Professor of General Physics in the Faculty of Sciences. This was the first time a woman had held that position. She gave her first lecture in November 1906. The lecture hall was packed, with students, journalists and members of the public gathering for the historic occasion.

Rather than stepping away from the laboratory, Curie continued the research that she and Pierre had begun together.

She continued her groundbreaking research into radioactivity

Curie's work was focused on understanding radioactive substances and isolating the elements she and Pierre had identified. The Nobel Foundation records that she developed methods for separating radium from radioactive residues and, in 1910, successfully produced radium as a pure metal. This helped establish the element's existence beyond doubt and allowed her to study its properties in greater detail.

Her research also helped advance the understanding and medical use of radioactive materials. Curie's scientific career was therefore not simply a continuation of her husband's work. She made major discoveries and established herself as an independent scientific authority.

Raised daughters while building her scientific career

Curie's life after Pierre's death also involved raising Irène and Ève. The National Institute of Standards and Technology notes that after Pierre's death, Marie managed to raise her two daughters while continuing an active career in experimental radioactivity measurements. The Curie family also created an unusual educational environment for the children. NobelPrize.org records that Marie organised a cooperative school when Irène was a young teenager, where professors taught each other's children subjects ranging from physics and mathematics to German and art.

Science eventually became part of Irène's own life. During World War I, she assisted her mother in using X-rays to help doctors locate shrapnel in wounded soldiers.

Marie Curie won a second Nobel Prize

The most remarkable chapter of Curie's post-bereavement career came in 1911. She received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for her discovery of radium and polonium, the isolation of radium and her study of its properties and compounds. This made Curie the first person to win two Nobel Prizes. She remains the only individual to have received Nobel Prizes in two different scientific fields.

Her first Nobel had recognised her work with Pierre and Becquerel in physics. Her second was awarded to her individually for her achievements in chemistry. Marie Curie died on July 4, 1934, aged 66.

Marie Curie’s daughters

Curie's influence extended beyond her own scientific achievements. Her elder daughter, Irène Joliot-Curie, followed her mother into scientific research. Along with her husband, Frédéric Joliot, she won the 1935 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for work involving artificially created radioactive atoms. Her younger daughter, Ève Curie, became a writer and journalist. She later wrote a biography of her mother, Madame Curie, published in 1938.