Henri Becquerel Collection

Pierre and Marie Curie, French physicists, preparing to go cycling. Polish-born Marie Curie and her husband Pierre continued the work on radioactivity started by Henri Becquerel

Marie Sklodowska Curie, Polish-born French physicist, 1904. Marie Curie (1867-1934) was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1904, together with her husband Pierre and Henri Becquerel

Marie Curie, Polish-born French physicist, c1920. Curie (1867-1934), double Nobel Prize winner, seated in her laboratory. (Colorised black and white print)

Henri Becquerel, French physicist, late 19th or early 20th century. In 1896 Becquerel (1852-1908) discovered that uranium, when placed on a sealed, light-tight photographic plate, exposed the plate

Henri Becquerel, French physicist, c1890s. Artist: Nadar
Henri Becquerel, French physicist, c1890s. In 1896 Becquerel (1852-1908) discovered that uranium, when placed on a sealed, light-tight photographic plate, exposed the plate

Marie Curie, Polish-born French physicist, 1929. Marie (1867-1934) and her husband Pierre Curie continued the work on radioactivity started by Henri Becquerel

Marie Curie, Polish-born French physicist, 1925. Marie Curie (1867-1934) in her office at the Radium Institute, Paris, of which she was director of research from 1918-1934

Marie Curie, Polish-born French physicist, in her laboratory, 1912. Marie (1867-1934) and her husband Pierre Curie continued the work on radioactivity started by Henri Becquerel

Marie Curie, Polish-born French physicist, 1931. Marie (1867-1934) and her husband Pierre Curie continued the work on radioactivity started by Henri Becquerel

Pierre Curie, French chemist, when Professor of Physics at the Sorbonne, 1906
Pierre Curie, French chemist, in the lecture theatre when Professor of Physics at the Sorbonne, 1906. Curie (1859-1906) was awarded the Nobel prize for Physics in 1903, jointly with his wife, Marie

Pierre Curie, French chemist. Curie (1859-1906) was awarded the Nobel prize for Physics in 1903, jointly with his wife, Marie, and Henri Becquerel, for their work on radioactivity

Pierre and Marie Curie, French scientists, at work in the laboratory. Polish-born Marie Curie (1867-1934) and her husband Pierre (1859-1906)

Marie Curie, Polish-born French physicist, 1910. Marie Curie (1867-1934) and her husband Pierre continued the work on radioactivity started by Henri Becquerel

Medal commemorating Marie Sklodowska Curie, Polish-born French physicist, 1967. Obverse of a medal issued in 1967 to commemorate the centenary of her birth

Title page of Oeuvres de Pierre Curie, 1908. French chemist Curie (1859-1906) was awarded the Nobel prize for Physics in 1903, jointly with his wife, Marie, and Henri Becquerel

(Antoine) Henri Becquerel (1852-1908), French physicist. In 1896 Becquerel accidentally discovered radioactivity while investigating the phosphorescence of uranium salts

Pierre and Marie Curie, French physicists, 1904. Polish-born Marie Curie and her husband Pierre continued the work on radioactivity started by Henri Becquerel

Marie and Pierre Curie, physicists, 1904. Photograph with their daughter Irene. Curie and her husband Pierre continued the work on radioactivity started by H Becquerel

PSCI2A-00047
Professor Henri Becquerel in his laboratory. Hand-colored halftone reproduction of a photograph

Loudspeaker apparatus, 19th century
Loudspeaker apparatus, as constructed in the laboratory of the French physicist Henri Becquerel (1852-1908). This apparatus includes a Ruhmkorff coil (induction coil)

Becquerel, Antoine Cesar (1788-1878)
Antoine Cesar Becquerel, French physicist and chemist and one of the founders of electrochemistry. He made a special study of magnetism and the voltaic cell, and invented a number of instruments

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Henri Becquerel: A Pioneer in the Shadows of Greatness In the late 19th and early 20th century, amidst a backdrop of scientific brilliance, one name often gets overshadowed – Henri Becquerel. While Pierre and Marie Curie are celebrated as French physics legends, it was Becquerel who laid the foundation for their groundbreaking discoveries. As Pierre and Marie Curie prepared to embark on a cycling adventure, little did they know that their lives would soon intertwine with Becquerel's. In 1904, Marie Sklodowska Curie became the first woman to win a Nobel Prize in Physics alongside her husband Pierre for their work on radioactivity. This recognition came just years after she had discovered two new elements – polonium and radium. But it was Henri Becquerel who inadvertently set these events into motion. In the late 1890s, he stumbled upon an astonishing phenomenon while studying phosphorescent materials. Through his experiments with uranium salts, he accidentally discovered radioactivity when he observed that these substances emitted rays without any external stimulation. Captured by renowned photographer Nadar around this time period, an image of Becquerel reveals a man consumed by curiosity and determination. His pioneering spirit led him to further investigate this mysterious radiation phenomenon. Becquerel's discovery paved the way for future breakthroughs in nuclear science but remained relatively unnoticed compared to his colleagues' accolades. However, his contributions were not forgotten entirely; in 1929, Marie Curie awarded him an honorary doctorate from Warsaw University as gratitude for his foundational research. Marie Curie herself continued pushing boundaries throughout her career. Photographs from various eras showcase her dedication within laboratories or surrounded by scientific equipment – symbols of her relentless pursuit of knowledge. Sadly though triumphantly fittingly named "Madame Curie, " she faced numerous challenges as a female scientist during those times but never let them deter her.