Big Ideas The remarkable life of Marie Curie and the women scientists she inspired — with Dava Sobel
Aug 14, 2025
Dava Sobel, bestselling author of works like Longitude and The Elements of Marie Curie, explores the extraordinary life of Marie Curie, a pioneer who reshaped the landscape for women in science. Sobel discusses Curie's groundbreaking discoveries, her dual Nobel Prizes, and her mentorship of future generations of female scientists. The conversation also highlights the often-overlooked contributions of women to science, the challenges of gender inequality, and the troubling exploitation of Curie's legacy through harmful radium products.
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Curie Lab As A Women's Magnet
- Marie Curie's lab became a magnet for women pursuing radioactivity research after her Nobel Prize.
- That concentrated cohort created a lasting network of female scientists who spread worldwide.
Widowhood Opened Academic Doors
- After Pierre Curie's death the Sorbonne offered Marie his professorship and directorship of their lab.
- She became the first woman to teach at the Sorbonne and led a major research laboratory.
Seeding First Female Professors
- Many women trained in Curie's lab returned home to become their countries' first female professors.
- The lab thus seeded global, institutional change in higher education for women.
