"In 1900 following a report of German scientists that this new substance had physiological effects, Pierre exposed his arm to radiation and reported the burn that resulted on his skin. Radium was now found to be useful and soon showed that it could be used to destroy diseased cells, growths, and certain forms of cancer.” (Medow)
Radiation therapy is still widely used today, partially because Madame Curie fought for her right to used her petit-curies in the battlefield. It is used to treat several types of cancers, including breast cancer, lung cancer, rectal cancer (Goldsmith 202) and ophthalmic cancer, which is cancer of the eye (Medow). There are several different methods that it can be used to treat cancers. Throughout the years, some methods have been proven to be more effective or safe than others. It has saved thousands of lives though out the time it has been in use. The discovery of radium kick started the radium industry. Since the discovery of radioactivity, several other uses of radioactivity have been found, such as using it for researching the structure of the atom and using it for carbon dating (Pasachoff 40). Radioactivity has also been used in the industry for things like killing organisms in food that cause disease. (Pasachoff 40). None of this would have happened if Curie had not fought gender stereotypes and became a physicist. Her revolutionary discovery changed the scientific world forever.
Sources for this tab:
-Medow
-Goldsmith 202
-Pasachoff 40
-UC Davis Health System
-Medow
-Goldsmith 202
-Pasachoff 40
-UC Davis Health System