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Answer to Question #1272 Submitted to "Ask the Experts"Category: Historical Issues/Applications The following question was answered by an expert in the appropriate field: Q
Who is "The Madame" who discovered radiation?
A
The reference is undoubtedly to Marie Curie who discovered (along with her husband Pierre and Gustave Bemont) the element radium in 1898. Nevertheless, the reference is mistaken—she did not discover the phenomenon of radiation. Wilhelm Röntgen was the discoverer (in 1895) of what we usually think of when we hear the term "radiation." More specifically, Röntgen discovered x rays. Marie Curie did coin the term "radioactivity," but it was the French physicist Henri Becquerel who actually discovered radioactivity in 1896. Even that last point is in dispute—there are those (usually chemists interestingly enough) who argue that the French chemist Niepce de Saint Victor should be given credit for the discovery.
Paul Frame, PhD, CHP
Answer posted on 15 October 2001. The information and material posted on this Web site is intended as general reference information only. Specific facts and circumstances may alter the concepts and applications of materials and information described herein. The information provided is not a substitute for professional advice and should not be relied upon in the absence of such professional advice specific to whatever facts and circumstances are presented in any given situation. Answers are correct at the time they are posted on the Web site. Be advised that over time, some requirements could change, new data could be made available, or Internet links could change. For answers that have been posted for several months or longer, please check the current status of the posted information prior to using the responses for specific applications.
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