Abstract
WITH the “Semaine Internationale contre le Cancer”, which took place at Paris between November 23 and 30, the fortieth anniversary of the discovery of radium by Pierre and Madame Curie was commemorated. Simultaneously, the discovery of the electron, the X-rays, and Hertzian waves was celebrated. The importance of recent discoveries, which are now occupying the attention of contemporary workers, is easily over-estimated; and, making due allowance for this possibility, we feel justified in considering the discovery of radium to be one of the outstanding events of the history of science. It promoted to a higher degree than any other discovery the development of the science of radioactivity, which has so deeply influenced our outlook on the nature and formation of the chemical elements, and simultaneously supplied a tool of outstanding importance alike to various branches of science and to medicine.
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H., G. Commemoration of the Discovery of Radium. Nature 142, 1127 (1938). https://doi.org/10.1038/1421127a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/1421127a0