Marie Curie: The Courage of Knowledge

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1

MARIE CURIE AND THE BLUE LIGH As you have seen, thorium

doesn't exhibit significant radiation.

The emission of a given element

which follows a routine

a trajectory can change...

Marie?!

Sit down!

It'll be all right...

Andr, come here quickly!

It'll be all right.

Will it be all right? I don't know...

What are we going to do?

- Get me the midwife, now!

- Breathe, Marie...

Marie, calm down, just sit down!

- Shall we call for help?

- Yes, yes!

Be quick!

Hurry up!

What about Stockholm then'?

When are we going? When can we drive?

It can wait a bit.

It's been a year already,

they are asking again and again.

Some American wants to name

a racer after me

and asks my permission.

Can horses get Nobel Prizes?

No, only men can get it.

Your mother is an exception.

She is the first lady who won Nobel.

So I'll be the second.

Of course, why not?

Did I use to be so tiny?

You were, you were.

And now watch out...

you are the biggest of us all!

Come, let's go!

A car from the Royal Academy

will await you

in front of the hotel in an hour.

Thank you, but we prefer to walk.

Why don't we give them back

their Nobel Prize?

Having all these journalists

on our heads, we can't work.

Hmm?

They steal our precious time,

time so needed.

Marie...

We get crazy, if we will not be able

to live as we like.

After Henri Becquerel discovered

the special radiating properties of uranium

Madame Curie has shown...

that thorium and its compounds

possess the same properties

and called such substances

"radioactive".

The experiments on radium

lead to the assumption that...

certain particles have a velocity

very slightly below that of light.

That might probably modify

the fundamental principle of mechanics.

The consequences for the chemistry

are perhaps even more important.

Finally in the biological sciences

the rise of radium

could become a very useful ally

in the treatment of cancer.

The London Times doubts that

radium is an element at all.

Quiet, please!

Radium is in no way

a helium and lead compound, as many of

our distinguished colleagues pretend.

We are about to prove it!

Madame Curie and I believe that mankind

will derive more good than harm

from this new discovery.

Every meaningful research is a gift

to humanity,

but as the antique has taught us,

it can instantly turn into Pandora's Box.

The best example are the inventions

of Alfred Nobel.

His powerful explosives enable

performing impressive works,

they are also a terrible means

of destruction

in the hands of the great criminals

who are leading countries to war.

By accepting this Nobel Prize for physics,

we call upon all citizens of Europe

to be vigilant.

It is our duty to work for peace!

Madame Curie and I want to

pursue our work

with this goal in mind.

Professor Pierre Curie.

And Madame Curie...

It is a great pleasure.

Crown Prince Gustav was disconsolate

that you didn't show yourselves

at last year's banquet.

If only you knew how much Monsieur Curie

and I enjoy missing banquets.

When will they come at last?

You are even more impatient

than your mom!

Besides, I am hungry!

Abracadabra!

Here is an apple for you.

Thank you.

Above a certain altitude the air is cleaner

and I can observe better the changes

in the atmosphere's electric charge.

Have you installed your measuring

instrument on the Eiffel Tower?

It is the highest tower in the world.

- On the top?

- On the third floor.

The results are surprising.

We are organizing protests in

front of Notre-Dame,

we demand religious freedom...

I have also discovered that in the air

there are at least two other kinds of ions.

Ions twice as big as the ones

we have known till now.

Freedom of religion for everyone!

Thank you.

And there's no freedom for me?

We're demonstrating tomorrow

in front of Notre-Dame,

Will you come?

With you, mademoiselle,

I would even charge on the Vatican.

What are you studying?

- You have mercy for no girl.

- What are you up to?

I saw them!

There they are!

Dad!

Dad, mum!

Oh, my favorite tornado!

I was so afraid!

- What were you afraid of, darling?

- That you never come back!

But here we are.

You know well that we always come back.

- Hi, father!

- How was the trip?

48 hours in a row is no pleasure.

And how was everything with you?

Quiet as usual, no speeches,

no vanity fairs.

Nothing but joy.

And this young lady wrapped

me around her little finger.

What a relief!

You can't imagine

how we missed you.

Have they already delivered

the pitchblende, Andre?

- Yes, boss!

- It's about time.

Shall we?

Yes?

Hurry up!

After you, Madame.

Our radium.

It is radiating from inside.

Just like you.

A healing matter in a state

of inner turmoil.

Either there is some demon in it,

or the atom is not indivisible!

That would contradict

all known theories.

I hope I didn't forget anything.

I love your lists!

- Does it hurt?

- No, not at all.

We treated his inoperable tumor

with radium bromide,

applied with a rubber-sleeve for

two weeks, ten minutes a day.

It already decreased by half.

With smaller cartridges

we could measure the dosage

of the radium more precisely

and apply its radiation

more targeted

to protect the healthy cells.

The best solution would probably be

to inject the radium directly

into the cancer cell.

Your name is Irne, isn't it?

Irne!

It looks like mum is calling you!

- Good bye, monsieur.

- Good bye.

My reverence Madame!

- Already back from Stockholm?

- Go to your room now.

Gustave Try,

chief editor of "I'Oeuvre".

"We talk aloud what others

only think in secret".

Leave my family in peace.

How does it feel to be

suddenly so famous?

Did you hear what is going on

in Warsaw?

Nationalists robbed

the public stock... look.

Perhaps your sister won't need

your money anymore!

It is time for Poland

to be independent again.

One should be able to speak Polish

in his country.

You should become a politician,

madame Skodovska.

Sklodovska!

He behaves as if everything

was all right,

but during the trip he vomited

several times and he didn't admit it.

He's had this supposed influenza

for months!

I think it's anemia.

How come?

From your lifestyle.

Don't lie to me, Eugne.

Just tell me the truth.

Whatever this truth is.

Don't worry, I will examine him

thoroughly.

Really, stop worrying.

Give me back the medal,

give it back to me!

- It is mine!

- Give it back!

- I'm better in math than you!

- It's not true!

Kids!

Stop fighting this instant!

Jean, give me the medal.

This is not a toy.

- This is my medal.

- Rubbish. Now, give it to me.

- She could lend it to me...

- This is not a toy.

Where do you want to

isolate pure radium?

I'm fed up with your

shabby hangar.

What am I working

with two Nobels for?

Honestly?

Well...

Wine?

You want to push cancer

research forward. Fine!

But please give me a lab

that deserves that name.

Pierre has appointment next week

at the French Academy

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