Don’t heed to the haters
Year 1911 was most scandalous and distressing year for Marie Curie.
She had been rejected admission to French Academy of Sciences that many speculated as biases against her gender and immigration roots.
However soon she became embroiled in a scandal when her romantic affair with her colleague Paul Langevin came forward. Her husband had died four years prior and Langevin albeit married was estranged. Yet media scandalously painted her as a home-wrecker and a seductive Jew, even though she wasn’t Jewish.
The story played on xenophobia and sexism of time causing huge public uproar. Situation went so bad that a mob vandalized her house and tormented her daughters.
Amid all this Marie had won second Nobel prize yet was discouraged by prize committee and French Government from traveling.
Marie sank in depression and retreated from public eye.
Einstein had met at the prestigious invite-only Solvay Conference, Brussels in 1911 where Curie was the only women among 24 members. He was so impressed by Curie’s intellect, that he publicly defended her and sent her a consolatory letter,
“If the rabble continues to occupy itself with you, then simply don’t read that hogwash, but rather leave it to the reptile for whom it has been fabricated,” he wrote.
With little kindness from colleague, Marie re-emerged from her depression and public our cry, and courageously went to Stockholm to accept her Second Novel Prize. Marie continued to pioneer in her field and died of her dedication to her discovery.
Reference
[1] https://www.biography.com/news/marie-curie-biography-facts
[2] https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/12750/marie-curies-sex-scandal-and-duel-it-inspired
[3] https://www.brainpickings.org/2016/04/19/einstein-curie-letter/
