Pierre Curie was born in Paris on May 15, 1859. He was educated at home by his father, Eugène Curie who was a general medical practitioner.
By age 18 Pierre could've started to work on his doctorate degree but did not because of a lack of funding. So instead he started to work in a laboratory. Pierre received his Licenciateships in Physics in 1878 and still continued to be a demonstrator in a laboratory till 1892 when he was promoted to be head of all work done in the Physics & Industrial Chemical Schools. He later became the Professor in the Faculty of Sciences in 1900 and in 1904 became the Titular Professor.
He passed away during a street accident with his carriage while crossing the Rue Dauphine in Paris on April 19, 1906.
Interesting Facts:
Interesting Facts:
- He was awarded the Davy Medal of the Royal Society of London in 1903 with his wife
- Pierre & Marie were awarded the Noble Prize for Physics in 1903
- In 1880, Pierre & his brother, Jacques determined that electric potential was generated when crystal were compressed (piezoelectricity)
- Pierre & his wife, Marie worked together to isolate polonium and radium. They both started to use the term "radioactivity"
- He investigated the radiation admissions of radioactive substances
- A "Curie unit" of radioactivity is named after him (3.7 x 1010 decays per second)
