Marie Curie and the Glowing Element

An illustrated science story from Wonder Science — free to read, with narration.

Marie Curie and the Glowing Element — an illustrated science story, set in Global. 10 illustrated pages, free to read on Wonder Science.

Marie Curie and the Glowing Element — book cover — Wonder Science
Marie Curie and the Glowing Element — an illustrated science story, set in Global. 10 illustrated pages, free to read on Wonder Science.

Page 1

Mina watched the rhythmic whirring of the clockwork gears that powered their San Francisco neighborhood. A cheerful melody chimed as the gears shifted, causing…
Mina watched the rhythmic whirring of the clockwork gears that powered their San Francisco neighborhood. A cheerful melody chimed as the gears shifted, causing the buildings to sway gently. "Papa, how does all this music make the lights turn on?" she asked, pointing to a brightly glowing streetlamp powered by the joyful sounds.

Mina watched the rhythmic whirring of the clockwork gears that powered their San Francisco neighborhood. A cheerful melody chimed as the gears shifted, causing the buildings to sway gently. "Papa, how does all this music make the lights turn on?" she asked, pointing to a brightly glowing streetlamp powered by the joyful sounds.

Page 2

Her father chuckled, adjusting his glasses. "That's a great question, Mina! It's all about energy and how things react when they get energy." Sophie, Mina's…
Her father chuckled, adjusting his glasses. "That's a great question, Mina! It's all about energy and how things react when they get energy." Sophie, Mina's friend, chimed in, "Like how a glowstick glows when you crack it? I saw one at the music festival last week!" Mina's father nodded. "Exactly, Sophie! That glow is a chemical reaction called chemiluminescence. It makes light but doesn't produce heat like a lightbulb does."

Her father chuckled, adjusting his glasses. "That's a great question, Mina! It's all about energy and how things react when they get energy." Sophie, Mina's friend, chimed in, "Like how a glowstick glows when you crack it? I saw one at the music festival last week!" Mina's father nodded. "Exactly, Sophie! That glow is a chemical reaction called chemiluminescence. It makes light but doesn't produce heat like a lightbulb does."

Page 3

"So, it's like the music gives energy to something that then lights up?" Mina asked, scribbling in her notebook. Her father smiled. "In a way, yes.
"So, it's like the music gives energy to something that then lights up?" Mina asked, scribbling in her notebook. Her father smiled. "In a way, yes. But the science is much older than our clockwork city! Let's journey back to Paris, in the late 1890s... a time when scientists were just beginning to understand these amazing reactions!" A faint swirling mist of time begins to envelop them.

"So, it's like the music gives energy to something that then lights up?" Mina asked, scribbling in her notebook. Her father smiled. "In a way, yes. But the science is much older than our clockwork city! Let's journey back to Paris, in the late 1890s... a time when scientists were just beginning to understand these amazing reactions!" A faint swirling mist of time begins to envelop them.

Page 4

Mina found herself in a dimly lit laboratory, filled with strange bubbling flasks. "This is the laboratory of Marie Curie," her father whispered.
Mina found herself in a dimly lit laboratory, filled with strange bubbling flasks. "This is the laboratory of Marie Curie," her father whispered. "Marie Skłodowska Curie, a brilliant Polish scientist, and her husband, Pierre, were fascinated by something they called 'radioactivity'. She even won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1903!" He paused, "Did you know she kept a diary, and it's still radioactive today because of her experiments?"

Mina found herself in a dimly lit laboratory, filled with strange bubbling flasks. "This is the laboratory of Marie Curie," her father whispered. "Marie Skłodowska Curie, a brilliant Polish scientist, and her husband, Pierre, were fascinated by something they called 'radioactivity'. She even won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1903!" He paused, "Did you know she kept a diary, and it's still radioactive today because of her experiments?"

Page 5

Mina watched as Marie carefully examined a dark, heavy rock. "'Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood,'" Marie murmured, quoting her own…
Mina watched as Marie carefully examined a dark, heavy rock. "'Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood,'" Marie murmured, quoting her own philosophy. She gently stroked the rock. "Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less." She placed the rock in a special instrument.

Mina watched as Marie carefully examined a dark, heavy rock. "'Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood,'" Marie murmured, quoting her own philosophy. She gently stroked the rock. "Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less." She placed the rock in a special instrument.

Page 6

Suddenly, the instrument's needle jumped wildly! "It's radiating energy... far more than anything we've seen before!" Pierre exclaimed, rushing to her side.
Suddenly, the instrument's needle jumped wildly! "It's radiating energy... far more than anything we've seen before!" Pierre exclaimed, rushing to her side. Marie smiled. "This, Pierre, is a new element. We will call it... radium!" As Marie examined the dark rock in the lab, she noticed it produced something that glowed! This radiation, they discovered, was a new source of energy.

Suddenly, the instrument's needle jumped wildly! "It's radiating energy... far more than anything we've seen before!" Pierre exclaimed, rushing to her side. Marie smiled. "This, Pierre, is a new element. We will call it... radium!" As Marie examined the dark rock in the lab, she noticed it produced something that glowed! This radiation, they discovered, was a new source of energy.

Page 7

"But what good is a glowing rock?" Mina asked her father. He smiled. "Marie and Pierre's discovery paved the way for things like X-rays, which help doctors see…
"But what good is a glowing rock?" Mina asked her father. He smiled. "Marie and Pierre's discovery paved the way for things like X-rays, which help doctors see inside our bodies!" he said. He added, "And radium was even used to treat cancer, at first! They also discovered polonium, named after Marie's home country of Poland."

"But what good is a glowing rock?" Mina asked her father. He smiled. "Marie and Pierre's discovery paved the way for things like X-rays, which help doctors see inside our bodies!" he said. He added, "And radium was even used to treat cancer, at first! They also discovered polonium, named after Marie's home country of Poland."

Page 8

Suddenly, they were back in San Francisco, the clockwork gears whirring around them. "So, the music in our city is like radium's energy?" Mina asked.
Suddenly, they were back in San Francisco, the clockwork gears whirring around them. "So, the music in our city is like radium's energy?" Mina asked. Sophie pondered. "If it weren't for Marie Curie discovering that rocks can glow, maybe we wouldn't have all these cool clockwork lights!" Mina's father nodded. "Precisely! And that's why San Francisco is so creative: scientists build new wonders on old scientific discoveries!"

Suddenly, they were back in San Francisco, the clockwork gears whirring around them. "So, the music in our city is like radium's energy?" Mina asked. Sophie pondered. "If it weren't for Marie Curie discovering that rocks can glow, maybe we wouldn't have all these cool clockwork lights!" Mina's father nodded. "Precisely! And that's why San Francisco is so creative: scientists build new wonders on old scientific discoveries!"

Page 9

"Wait, I get it!" Sophie exclaimed, "The electricity that powers my keyboard so I can make music is like that glowing rock!
"Wait, I get it!" Sophie exclaimed, "The electricity that powers my keyboard so I can make music is like that glowing rock! It takes energy and turns it into something else!" Mina added, "And the sun! It's like a giant radium rock in the sky, giving us light and heat!" Her father grinned. "Exactly! And the heat from the Earth's core that provides the geothermal energy that helps power the music! Everything is connected!"

"Wait, I get it!" Sophie exclaimed, "The electricity that powers my keyboard so I can make music is like that glowing rock! It takes energy and turns it into something else!" Mina added, "And the sun! It's like a giant radium rock in the sky, giving us light and heat!" Her father grinned. "Exactly! And the heat from the Earth's core that provides the geothermal energy that helps power the music! Everything is connected!"

Page 10

Mina wrote in her notebook: 'Chemiluminescence is a way to create light using chemical reactions, like Marie Curie's radium!' Nadia, another friend, walked by.
Mina wrote in her notebook: 'Chemiluminescence is a way to create light using chemical reactions, like Marie Curie's radium!' Nadia, another friend, walked by. "That's cool, Mina! But if some things glow because of reactions, why are other things, like magnets, pulled together?" she asked. Mina smiled. Time for another adventure!

Mina wrote in her notebook: 'Chemiluminescence is a way to create light using chemical reactions, like Marie Curie's radium!' Nadia, another friend, walked by. "That's cool, Mina! But if some things glow because of reactions, why are other things, like magnets, pulled together?" she asked. Mina smiled. Time for another adventure!

About this story

  • Location: Global
  • Audience: kids (ages 6–12)

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