Curie: Love Physics

At this repeated dream she saw either a cabinet of wizard or a cabinet of alchemist. “Among the secrets and ignorance it was seen dark illegible shadow figure. A man in black was turning and his face was practically seen…” It’s spoken that particular the last dream, in which young Marie Sklodovskaya (in a marriage she will have a family Curie) had seen herself in a future, finally determined her choice – the science only. And in concurrence with this no love at all, because it interferes only. Since that time she had become a pure priestess of science with a hard heart and clear mind.

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She was such as it is described higher in a period of being a student in Sorbonne, she would be the same in a future also. Fair go, a love would come to her. Moreover “the real love, as it’s used to be”. A love which did not interfere in a science, more by token it helped to her science. But about this fact we will talk a little bit later, in the meantime, let’s look how a process of studying in Sorbonne was passing for this thin, frail, goal-seeking and utterly serious girl. The fragility and the leanness were a result of insufficient quality of food, she simply forgot to eat. Even if she remembered about the food, she didn’t go beyond a piece of bread with butter and a cup of tea. To prepare something more substantial was not legally permissible for her. That stupid process couldn’t take so much precious time! It was much more interesting to wear into holes by sitting in a University’s library or to experiment on in the laboratory. In such a way she had passed through the Paris’ temptations with a bunch of books and a view wrapped into herself…

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Professors noticed indefatigable industry and unusual talent for sciences at this girl, but classmates noticed also maniacal zeal and sinking into a starveling faints, which made the Mary feel angry. Sister Bronislava took care about her for some time, fed her up, but she saw that it was a great tie for Mary. The girl ate half-heartedly and told always that it’s dishonorable occupation of time. Mary expended only 3 or 4 hours in sleeping, because she had a strong view that it’s a dally away time. She even had counted how much time took the way from the University to the house of her sister, where she lived some time after entering the Sorbonne. She had decided that two hours was very much for that way to the University and had rented a cheap room without any facilities near the Sorbonne. Mary sacrificed everything at the altar of science! - a cold, an undernourishment, threadbare shoos, the only dress. It was peanuts!

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In 1893 Mary Sklodovskaya received master’s degree in physical science, and a year after it – in math. Practically before the moving from Paris to Warsaw it had happened a very important occasion in her life – she met Pierre Curie. It is characteristic that a bachelor in his 35 years believed that a woman is a hard obstacle on the way of studying of serious science. Because women take men’s calmness, without which scientists can’t make any revelation. But this is known that Mary also didn’t plan any marriage. But their stars had crossed at a point! It’s worthy to note that Pierre noticed not only grace and charm of fair hair, but also her hands damaged with acid. Pierre as a scientist appreciated this fact because it pointed clearly to the dozens and hundreds of hours, which were spent in a laboratory, to thousands of experiments, to sacrifice for science. Curie was knocked down!

Mary, despite of her general and not very pleasant opinion about men, had noticed a keen intellect, good manners and a handsomeness of Pierre, and more over combination of intellectual and moral superiority. Amur had made a direct hit! But why did she refuse his proposal at first? Thanks to what had they become closer? Why did everyone tell about their marriage with conviction?

As it’s told this is another story… and you will know it certainly.