Presents the professional and private lives of Marie and Pierre Curie, examining their personal struggles, the advancements they made in the world of science, and the issue of radiation in the modern world.

Focusing on the lives and relationships behind their magnificent careers, The Curies is the first biography to trace the entire Curie dynasty, from Pierre and Marie’s fruitful union and achievements to the lives and accomplishments of their two daughters, Irène and Eve, and son-in-law Frederic Joliot-Curie. Biographer Denis Brian digs deep beneath the headlines and legends to reveal the Curies’ multigenerational saga in its entirety, featuring new, never-before-published personal information as well as newly revealed correspondence and diary excerpts. Brimming with endearing and often amusing anecdotes about this much-misunderstood clan, The Curies reveals a family as closely intertwined in their private lives as they were in their professional endeavors.

Pierre and Marie Curie made a terrific scientific team. They coined the term "radioactivity" and discovered two new radioactive elements: radium and polonium. Through engaging yet accessible text, readers will follow them as they grow up in loving families dedicated to education, develop into budding scientists, get married, and launch their lab. Students will learn about the Curies' hardships and triumphs and explore how scientific discovery builds upon itself and other scientists into the future. Detailed diagrams and informative sidebars help simplify the details of important scientific concepts, such as piezoelectricity, radioactivity, and Becquerel rays.

Marie and Pierre Curie were pioneers in the study of radioactivity, achieving world renown for their Nobel prize-winning discovery of radium and polonium. This biographical introduction to the couple describes the Curies' lives, their research, their marriage and Marie's controversial final years.