Radioactive!: How Irène Curie and Lise Meitner Revolutionized Science and Changed the World
by Winifred Conkling (Author)
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Radioactivity was the first new property of matter discovered since Sir Isaac Newton defined the law of gravity in 1686,” and the work of Irène Curie and Lise Meitner in the early 20th century helped to open the door to modern physics.
Irène Curie was the firstborn child of the world’s “ ‘First Family’ of science.” Lise Meitner was the daughter of a Jewish lawyer in Vienna and a victim of Hitler’s anti-Semitic policies. Curie and Meitner, working independently, were research rivals, each seeking a name in the field of theoretical physics that was about to change the world. Conkling discusses the two scientists separately, Curie in the first several chapters, Meitner in the next several, and their stories come together in a final section when the race to create an atomic bomb was on. It’s an uneasy blend of biographies, though astute readers will see that it’s the science itself that links the stories, not a personal connection between Curie and Meitner. Readers interested in a more succinct and compelling look at Meitner’s work on fission than what’s presented here will find it in Steve Sheinkin’s Bomb (2012). Flat writing and too many pages of dense text unrelieved by photographs or other visuals mar a volume that might have been suspenseful.
An important if sometimes-awkward study of two scientists who helped to change the world. (timeline, glossary, who’s who, chapter notes, bibliography, for more information, index) (Nonfiction. 12-16)School Library Journal
Gr 7 Up--The contributions of two overlooked female scientists are made clear in this enlightening read. Marie Curie, the mother of modern physics who discovered natural radiation, had no way of knowing as she began her experiments in 1897 that her groundbreaking work would set off a chain reaction leading to the creation of the first atomic bomb. Though that sounds ominous, this book is anything but a dreary march from the Curie Institute to nuclear war. Luminous and fascinating, it recounts the lives and amazing findings of chemist (and daughter of Curie) Irene Joliot-Curie, codiscoverer of artificial radiation, and physicist Lise Meitner, codiscoverer of nuclear fission. Traversing the vicious landscapes of World War I and II and beyond, Conkling thoroughly explains the scientific explorations of each woman while describing their struggles being taken seriously as scientists even after Marie Curie had blazed a bright trail. Archival photos and primary source quotes enhance the story. This title would make a lovely companion to Steve Sheinkin's Bomb: The Race to Build--and Steal--the World's Most Dangerous Weapon (Flash Point, 2012) for its scientific and historical content. VERDICT This well-crafted work will undoubtedly inspire the right reader.--Abby Bussen, Cudahy Family Library, WI
Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.Publishers Weekly
In this thorough and clear dual biography, Conkling (Passenger on the Pearl) profiles two 20th-century scientists whose contributions facilitated the creation of the atomic bomb--to their horror. Though Lise Meitner (1878-1968) and Irene Curie (1897-1956) shared an idealistic and passionate devotion to physics, they were often rivals and never worked collaboratively. Austrian-born Meitner, highly regarded throughout the 1930s for her meticulous experiment designs, outright disputed early results presented by Curie, daughter of Pierre and Marie Curie, and her husband; her dismissal allowed the Curies to create the first manmade radioactive elements themselves, leading to a shared Nobel Prize in 1935. Only three years later, Meitner's explanation of nuclear fission set the stage for the atomic age. Both highly educated women struggled against chauvinist attitudes: Curie's efforts to join the French Academy of Science were repeatedly turned down, while Meitner never received a Nobel Prize despite 15 nominations. Conkling successfully redresses that lack of recognition here. A glossary, time line, and extensive "Who's Who" section provide additional context, along with explanatory sidebars and b&w photos. Ages 12-up. Agent: Sarah Davies, Greenhouse Literary Agency. (Jan.)
Copyright 2015 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.Review quotes
"A thorough and engaging study of two female scientists worth their weight in radium."—Booklist, starred review
"Luminous and fascinating, [Radioactive!] recounts the lives and amazing findings of chemist (and daughter of [Marie] Curie) Irène Joliot-Curie, codiscoverer of artificial radiation, and physicist Lise Meitner, codiscoverer of nuclear fission. This title would make a lovely companion to Steve Sheinkin's Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World's Most Dangerous Weapon." —School Library Journal
"In this thorough and clear dual biography, Conkling (Passenger on the Pearl) profiles two 20th-century scientists whose contributions facilitated the creation of the atomic bomb—to their horror. Though Lise Meitner (1878-1968) and Irène Curie (1897-1956) shared an idealistic and passionate devotion to physics, they were often rivals and never worked collaboratively...Both highly educated women struggled against chauvinist attitudes: Curie's efforts to join the French Academy of Science were repeatedly turned down, while Meitner never received a Nobel Prize despite 15 nominations. Conkling successfully redresses that lack of recognition here. A glossary, time line, and extensive "Who's Who" section provide additional context, along with explanatory sidebars and b&w photos. " —Publishers Weekly
JNF007120 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Biography & Autobiography | Women
JNF051190 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Science & Nature | History of Science
JNF051140 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Science & Nature | Physics
Germany
Women scientists
Joliot-Curie, Iraene
Meitner, Lise
Radioactivity
Nuclear fission
