#48: Marie Curie Remained Radioactive Even in Death
Marie Curie is one of history’s greatest scientific minds — a pioneer in physics and chemistry who discovered radium and polonium. But her groundbreaking work came at a steep personal cost. Decades of handling radioactive materials before proper safety protocols existed took a permanent toll on her body.
Even after her death in 1934, her remains were so radioactive that she was buried in a coffin lined with thick lead. Her notebooks and personal belongings are still too contaminated to handle without special protection. Her brilliance changed the world, but the danger she endured is almost unimaginable today.
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