MARIE CURIE

Introduction

Marie Salomea Sklodowska Curie, who is popularly known as Marie Curie was born on 7th November 1867, in the Kingdom of Poland. Marie Curie is an inspirational chemist and physicist to all the researchers in the world. Marie Curie was the first person, pioneer researcher who initiated research on the field of radioactivity. Marie Curie was the first lady to win the Nobel prize and the only person to win Nobel Prizes in two different fields, in Chemistry and Physics. Apart from that, Marie Curie was the first woman to become a professor at the University of Wales. Marie Curie was honored as the “Most Inspiration Women in Science” in the year 2009. This shows Marie Curie is a profound researcher in the world of science.

Contribution of Marie Curie to the World

Marie Curie was awarded the first Nobel Prize for the discovery of Radium and Polonium radioactive atoms. Polonium was named after the homeland of Marie Curie which is Poland. Polonium is used by scientists as heaters in space probes. Meanwhile, Radium is commonly used in cancer therapy. During World War I, Marie Curie started having great interest in the work of radiology after seeing the soldiers suffering from the wounds from the war. She set up a laboratory to study the potential of Radium atoms to treat cancer patients. Marie Curie had discovered a portable X-ray machine commonly known as the “Marie Curie Petite” machine. This machine had helped the medical surgeons in the war to treat the injured soldiers. Marie Curie’s contribution to the science world is a never-ending list. Till her last breath she had worked for world science, such an inspiring lady she is.

Marie Curie and Yoga

In my opinion, Marie Curie had passionately practiced Bhakti Yoga, Karma Yoga, and Jnana Yoga.

Bhakti Yoga

Marie Curie herself is a great yoga practitioner in my opinion. Throughout her life, Marie Curie had practiced yoga sincerely and wholeheartedly. Marie Curie is a great Bhakti Yoga practitioner. Bhakti yoga is the immense passion we have for a particular subject and we continuously work to be successful on the path we have chosen. Marie Curie had faced a lot of discrimination from society for being a woman. In the 19th century itself, Marie Curie had fought for rights in the research field despite gender discrimination. This shows her great passion and love for her research. She still continued her research and became the first lady to win the Nobel Prize in the world. In the 22nd century, we are still arguing about gender equality, but Marie Curie had successfully broken the stereotype in the 19th century itself.

Marie Curie was doing research on radioactive substances, and she absolutely was aware of the harmfulness of radioactive substances. Marie Curie still continuously focused on her research despite the adverse effect of radioactive substances. Alas, she died of aplastic anemia disease at the age of 66, due to forty years of exposure to radioactive substances. Aplastic anemia is a very rare disease due to exposure to large amounts of radiation. Even her coffin was covered with one inch of lead metal to prevent the leakage of radioactive radiation from her body to the environment. Marie Curie had such tremendous bhakti and devotion towards her research, despite all the barriers in her life.

Karma Yoga

Marie Curie is well known for modesty and a moderate lifestyle. She had helped many researchers and the country’s citizens during the world war. She even donated her gold Nobel Prize to the war effort. She also gave the money she received from the Nobel Prizes to her friends, relatives, family, and students. She had been practicing Karma Yoga, as she was doing good for the people around her without any expectation. Marie Curie as well as her husband refused to take the monetary gifts and awards for themselves, instead, they gave them to the scientific community. Even when she invented X-ray machines for the benefit of the soldiers during world war I, she didn’t take any credit for it. Marie Curie is someone who always refused awards and medals. Marie Curie does her contribution to the scientific world wholeheartedly and is not interested in fame. Marie Curie is a great Karma Yoga practitioner. It was also reported that Albert Einstein stated that Marie Curie is probably the one person who doesn’t run behind fame and popularity.

Jnana Yoga

Marie Curie had gained great knowledge through her dedication to the practice and intensive reading of journals. She had immense knowledge in the field of radioactivity. She had also gained knowledge from her senior researchers as well. The most profound person that assisted Marie Curie in her success was her husband Pierre Curie. Her husband is a great teacher of Marie Curie. She very often collaborated with her husband and she had gained tremendous knowledge from her husband. Hence, Marie Curie was also practicing Jnana Yoga. She learned an enormous amount of knowledge through her reading and from her superiors.

Conclusion

Marie Curie had stated a quote “ No fear of perfection; you will never reach it. I find this quote very profound. We seldom forget that no one is perfect in this world. Each one of us is uniquely distinguished from the other. This quote reminds us, we must do our sadhana continuously without any expectation in return. We perform our duty truthfully and do not fear not being perfect. We will progress little by dedicating ourselves to anything we do in this life journey. “When we want something the whole universe will conspire in helping us to achieve it” Paulo Coelho.