Stanoviště 1.
PANEL No. 1: IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF MARIE CURIE-SKŁODOWSKA: A LEGACY THAT STILL SHINES
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So this is where it all really began… Who could have imagined then that a seemingly ordinary ore from Jáchymov would change my life – and the history of science?
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"Marie Curie is, of all celebrated beings, the only one whom fame has not corrupted."
Albert Einstein
Few places in the Czech Republic are as closely connected with the history of world science as Jáchymov. This trail will guide you through places associated with one of the most important scientific discoveries of the modern era – radioactivity. It tells the story of Jáchymov pitchblende (a uranium ore), which played a crucial role in uncovering the secrets of the atom and opened the way to a new understanding of nature.
At the heart of this story, which unfolded at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, stands Marie Curie-Skłodowska, a woman of extraordinary courage and perseverance. A unique bond connects her with Jáchymov: Jáchymov pitchblende (a uranium ore) provided her with material for the research that led to the discovery of the new radioactive elements radium and polonium, and subsequently contributed to her being awarded two Nobel Prizes.
In return, these discoveries helped Jáchymov gain worldwide recognition and become an important spa centre based on the therapeutic use of radioactivity.
Marie Curie-Skłodowska's personal visit to Jáchymov in 1925 underscored the importance of the Czech lands in research into radioactivity. By that time, she had already been awarded two Nobel Prizes in two different scientific fields – Physics and Chemistry – an achievement that no other scientist has matched to this day.
Join Madame Curie in discovering the places, stories and connections associated with one of the greatest scientific adventures in human history.
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Stops along the trail (map)
- A Legacy That Still Shines
- The Uranium Colour Factory
- The Woman Who Illuminated the World
- How Radioactivity Heals
- When the World Fell for Radium
- Jáchymov – A Geological Hub
- The Visit to Jáchymov
- František Běhounek