Alice Leigh-Smith facts for kids

Alice Leigh-Smith (born Alice Prebil) was a brilliant scientist who was born in Croatia on September 11, 1907. She became a nuclear physicist, which is a scientist who studies the tiny parts inside atoms.

Alice Leigh-Smith is famous for two main reasons. First, she was the first woman in British history to earn a PhD (a very high university degree) in nuclear physics. Second, she did important research on how to use radioactive substances to treat cancer. She also tried to discover a new chemical element, Element 85.

Alice's Amazing Science Career

Alice Leigh-Smith started her science journey at a young age.

Working with Marie Curie

When she was 25, in 1932, Alice began working at the Radium Institute in Paris. She had an amazing teacher there: Marie Curie! Marie Curie was a famous scientist who discovered new elements and won Nobel Prizes. Imagine learning from her!

First Woman with a Nuclear Physics PhD

Just three years later, in 1935, Alice made history. At 28 years old, she became the first woman in Great Britain to get a PhD in nuclear physics. This was a huge achievement! We know she defended her important research paper in London, but the exact university is not known today.

Researching Cancer Treatments

Dr. Alice Leigh-Smith also used her knowledge to help people. From 1936, she worked on cancer research. She explored how radioactive substances could be used to treat this serious disease. This work was part of the British Empire Cancer Campaign.

During World War II, from 1938 to 1940, Alice continued her important research at the University of Bern in Switzerland. In 1943, a newspaper called the London Times even wrote about how people were waiting for the results of her cancer treatment studies. Sadly, the full results of this specific research are not available for us to see today.

The Search for Element 85

In 1942, Alice Leigh-Smith teamed up with a Swiss chemist named Walter Minder. They announced that they had discovered a new element, Element 85. Today, we call this element astatine.

They even suggested a name for their new element: "anglohelvetium." This name was a way to honor both of their home countries. "Anglo" was for Alice's England, and "Helvetia" was an old name for Minder's country, Switzerland.

However, it was later found that they had not actually discovered Element 85. Other scientists tried to repeat their experiments but could not get the same results. This shows how science works: new discoveries must be proven by others!

Alice's Family Life

Alice Leigh-Smith also had an interesting personal life.

Marriage and Family

In 1933, when she was 26, Alice married Philip Leigh-Smith. Philip was a British diplomat, which means he worked for his country in other parts of the world. His father was Benjamin Leigh-Smith, a famous explorer of the Arctic!

Philip Leigh-Smith wrote a funny play called "Ladies in Diplomacy." People say that the adventures in his play were based on his wife, Alice!

Alice and Philip had one child, a son named Christopher Leigh-Smith. Christopher is still alive today and works as a business person in Switzerland.

Alice's Legacy

Even today, Alice Leigh-Smith's work is remembered. Some of her personal papers and records are kept at the Curie Institute in Paris, which is part of the Curie Museum. If you want to see them, you need to make an appointment. Her contributions to science, especially as a pioneering woman in nuclear physics, continue to inspire.