Marguerite Catherine Perey was born in Paris, France on October 19, 1909. Ms. Perey discovered the chemical element francium in 1939. Francium was the last element ever discovered in a natural source. All elements discovered after Perey’s discovery have been produced by artificial methods in the laboratory.In 1929 she qualified with a chemistry diploma from Paris’s Technical School of Women’s Education. This qualification enabled her to apply for chemistry technician positions. She hoped to get a good job, because her family was badly off financially. She applied for work in Marie Curie’s laboratory in Paris – The Radium Institute – and was amazed to be interviewed by the great Marie Curie herself. Marie Curie was one of the most famous people in the world at that time. In terms of scientists, only Albert Einstein was better known to the world’s public, and in France itself Marie Curie, with two Nobel Prizes, was the greatest of all scientists. This could have been an intimidating experience for the 19 year-old girl, and indeed the interview seemed to go badly. However, Perey was surprised to learn she had been hired. She was going to work alongside Marie Curie. In 1935, age 26, Perey read a research paper from the USA. The American researchers had found beta particles being emitted by actinium. Perey knew as much about actinium as anyone else in the world – she had been working with it for seven years. She decided the American researchers were probably wrong about actinium being the source of beta particles. While actinium did emit beta particles, Perey thought the energy of the beta particles seen in America was wrong for actinium. Perey decided to produce an ultra-pure sample of actinium and study its radiation before it had the chance to form daughter products. This was exceptionally difficult: the ultra-pure actinium sample would have to be prepared and its radiation studied in a very short time-frame. In 1939 there was no element 87 in the periodic table. Although people had suspected it existed, nobody had been able to find it. Perey had discovered a new element! The new element was made when actinium emitted alpha particles. And she had been right about the American research work. The beta particles with unexpected energy were not from actinium. Marguerite Perey died at age 65 on May 13, 1975. Like Marie Curie and a number of other scientists who had worked at the Radium Institute, she died of a radiation-linked illness. In fact, her body was found to be unusually radioactive. She had been instrumental in the introduction of better safety measures in the laboratories under her control. Sadly, this was too late to save her own life, but it was a lifesaver for future generations of nuclear scientists. SOURCE https://www.famousscientists.org/marguerite-perey/ https://www.famousscientists.org/fs/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/marguerite-perey-fr.jpgwas born in Paris, France on October 19, 1909. Ms. Perey discovered the chemical element francium in 1939. Francium was the last element ever discovered in a natural source. All elements discovered after Perey’s discovery have been produced by artificial methods in the laboratory. In 1929 she qualified with a chemistry diploma from Paris’s Technical School of Women’s Education. This qualification enabled her to apply for chemistry technician positions. She hoped to get a good job because her family was badly off financially. She applied for work in Marie Curie’s laboratory in Paris – The Radium Institute – and was amazed to be interviewed by the great Marie Curie herself. Marie Curie was one of the most famous people in the world at that time. In terms of scientists, only Albert Einstein was better known to the world’s public, and in France itself, Marie Curie, with two Nobel Prizes, was the greatest of all scientists. This could have been an intimidating experience for the 19-year-old girl, and indeed the interview seemed to go badly. However, Perey was surprised to learn she had been hired. She was going to work alongside Marie Curie. In 1935, at age 26, Perey read a research paper from the USA. The American researchers had found beta particles being emitted by actinium. Perey knew as much about actinium as anyone else in the world – she had been working with it for seven years. She decided the American researchers were probably wrong about actinium being the source of beta particles. While actinium did emit beta particles, Perey thought the energy of the beta particles seen in America was wrong for actinium. Perey decided to produce an ultra-pure sample of actinium and study its radiation before it had the chance to form daughter products. This was exceptionally difficult: the ultra-pure actinium sample would have to be prepared and its radiation studied in a very short time-frame. In 1939 there was no element 87 in the periodic table. Although people had suspected it existed, nobody had been able to find it. Perey had discovered a new element! The new element was made when actinium emitted alpha particles. And she had been right about the American research work. The beta particles with unexpected energy were not from actinium. Marguerite Perey died at age 65 on May 13, 1975. Like Marie Curie and a number of other scientists who had worked at the Radium Institute, she died of a radiation-linked illness. In fact, her body was found to be unusually radioactive. She had been instrumental in the introduction of better safety measures in the laboratories under her control. Sadly, this was too late to save her own life, but it was a lifesaver for future generations of nuclear scientists. SOURCE https://www.famousscientists.org/marguerite-perey/ https://www.famousscientists.org/fs/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/marguerite-perey-fr.jpg