Pierre Joliot facts for kids

Pierre Adrien Joliot-Curie (born 12 March 1932) is a French biologist and a dedicated researcher. He works for the French National Centre for Scientific Research, where he focuses on photosynthesis. This is the amazing process plants use to turn sunlight into food! He has been a researcher there since 1956 and became a Director of Research in 1974. He also advised the French Prime Minister on science for a year.

Who is Pierre Joliot-Curie?

Pierre Joliot-Curie is a very important scientist. He is an expert in biochemistry, which is the study of the chemical processes happening inside living things. His main area of study is photosynthesis, which is how plants and some other organisms use sunlight to create energy.

He worked at the French National Centre for Scientific Research for many years. He started as a researcher in 1956 and later became a Director of Research in 1974. This means he led important scientific projects. He also served on their scientific council, helping to guide research efforts.

From 1981 to 2002, Pierre Joliot-Curie held a special position at the Collège de France. He was the Chair of Cellular Bioenergetics, studying how cells get and use energy. He is now an emeritus professor, meaning he has retired but still holds an honorary title. He is also a member of the Academy of Science of France, a group of top scientists.

For his important contributions, he received high honors from France. He was made a commander of the Ordre National du Mérite (the National Order of Merit) in 1982. He also became a commander of the Légion d'honneur (the Legion of Honor) in 1984. These are two of France's highest awards.

In 2002, he wrote a book called 'La Recherche Passionnément'. In English, this means 'Research Passionately'. The book shared his ideas about how scientific research should be done.

A Family of Scientists

Pierre Joliot-Curie comes from an incredibly famous science family: the Curie family. His grandparents were the legendary Marie Curie and Pierre Curie. They, along with Henri Becquerel, won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1903. They won it for their groundbreaking work on radioactivity. Marie Curie also won another Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1911!

His parents were also Nobel Prize winners! Irène Joliot-Curie and Frédéric Joliot-Curie won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1935. They discovered something called Induced radioactivity, which was a huge step forward in science.

Pierre's sister, Hélène Langevin-Joliot, is also a well-known nuclear physicist. This means she studies the tiny parts inside atoms.

Pierre Joliot-Curie is married to Anne Joliot-Curie, who is also a biologist. They have two sons named Marc and Alain. It's clear that a love for science runs deep in this family!

In Spanish: Pierre Joliot para niños