The discovery of radioactivity
can be traced back to the late 19th century. In 1895, French physicist Henri
Becquerel discovered that certain materials emit a type of energy that he
called "radiations." This was later determined to be ionizing
radiation, which has enough energy to remove tightly bound electrons from atoms
and molecules. This process, known as ionization, can cause damage to living
tissue.
Marie and Pierre Curie, two more French scientists,
followed Becquerel's work by isolating the radioactive elements polonium and
radium. Their work in radioactivity earned them Nobel Prizes in Physics and
Chemistry.
Radioactivity has since been found to be a property
of certain elements, including uranium, radium, and plutonium. The energy
released by these elements can be harnessed for beneficial purposes, such as
generating electricity in nuclear power plants, but it can also be dangerous if
not properly controlled, as seen in the case of nuclear accidents.