Curie Isolates Radium: Unlocking Radioactivity's Power
Marie and Pierre Curie isolate radium from tons of pitchblende ore, revealing a substance that glows with its own eerie light. This breakthrough forces scientists to abandon the idea of immutable atoms and launches the field of nuclear physics, eventually leading to both radical cancer treatments and atomic weaponry.
December 26, 1898
128 years ago
Key Figures & Places
What Else Happened on December 26
A Roman priest nobody expected. Leo III won the papal election while his predecessor wasn't even cold in the ground — chosen by popular acclaim, not the usual p…
Berengar I seized the Iron Crown of Lombardy at Pavia, securing his rule over Italy through a decisive election by Lombard lords. This coronation solidified his…
Stephen seized the throne while his cousin Matilda was still abroad. He rushed to Winchester, grabbed the royal treasury, and convinced the Archbishop of Canter…
David of Burgundy's army of 4,000 to 5,000 soldiers crushed the armed mob from Utrecht on December 26, 1481, ending their attempt to avenge the Westbroek massac…
Holland’s forces crushed the Utrecht army at the Battle of Westbroek, ending the Bishopric of Utrecht’s military threat to the County of Holland. This victory c…
Robert Carr and Frances Howard wed in a lavish court ceremony, finalizing a scandalous union that had required the annulment of Howard’s previous marriage. John…
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