Marie CURIE was a pioneering scientist who conducted groundbreaking research into radioactivity. She was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize and is widely regarded as one of the most influential scientists of all time. Her research into radioactivity led to the discovery of two new elements, polonium and radium, and she was the first person to use the term 'radioactivity'. Her work revolutionized the field of nuclear physics and laid the groundwork for future generations of scientists.