The genius of Marie Curie. The Woman who Lit Up the World.

This programme with archive clips from various sources including historical television dramatisations of Curie's life (particularly of the experiments), looks at the life and work of Madame Marie Curie. Her letters, read by the actress Geraldine James, were released by her family and reveal the woman behind the scientist who received two Nobel prizes. Her affair with Pierre Longevin was discovered whilst she was attending a, now famous, physics conference at Solvay. There is evidence from newspapers of the time of the scandal; the wronged wife procured and then published their intimate love letters. Relationships are depicted by the many photographs of Marie's family. Curie was born Maria Sklodowska in Warsaw, Poland whilst it was under Czarist Russian rule. Her father, a scientist and teacher, gave her her love of science. She left school at 15 as university education was not open to women in Warsaw (this is represented by contemporary footage). Her elder sister went to the Sorbonne in Paris and was supported by Marie working as a governess. She fell in love with the family's eldest son - who broke her heart. She then returned to Warsaw and her family. She became involved in a secret laboratory and rediscovered her appetite for science. She graduated first in her year; she worked on the alloys needed by magnets and this is where she met Pierre Curie. They married in 1895. Her first child, Irene, was delivered by her father. Not long after this she published her first work. At the same time Antoine Henri Becquerel accidentally discovered radiation - the research was picked up by the Curies. Through meticulous research she discovered a whole new field of physics. Professor Andrea Sella from UCL recreates her experiment on 'pitch blend' for the new but elusive element. In 1902 she finally discovered radon. Radium became enthusiastically embraced by all kinds of personal products. She was initially not included in the Nobel prize nomination - Pierre refused to accept his without her inclusion. Pierre died tragically. Curie also went on to discover polonium. After Pierre's death, Marie took his professorship and begun her relationship with Longevin. She also received a second Nobel prize in Chemistry. She built her own institute and laboratory. In 1914 as war broke out, she developed the concept of portable x-ray vans 'Petit Curies'. Her elder daughter was enlisted as a technician. Post-war, attitudes softened to her affair. An American journalist, Missy Maloney, took her to the US (which was captured on newsreel of the time). Missy marketed Curie as the discoverer of a treatment for cancer. She was honoured many times whilst there, meeting President Harding. She died aged 67. This was thought to be from a form of anaemia affecting her bone marrow caused by direct exposure to radium. However, when her bones were tested they were not radio-active. It is now thought that it was the exposure to x-rays experienced during the war years which caused the illness which killed her.