RADIANT

A science communicator tells the story of the extraordinary friendship between a Nobel Prize–winning female scientist and a forgotten pioneer in modern dance and theatrical lighting.

Inspired by "extensive research, letters, personal memoirs and biographies," Heinecke offers a uniquely envisioned re-creation of the relationship between Marie Curie (1867-1932) and Loïe Fuller (1862-1928). An American dancer famed for incorporating electricity into innovative dances, Fuller seemed the polar opposite of Curie, who lived for her work in physics and chemistry. Yet both found common ground in a shared passion for science. In 1896, Thomas Edison told Fuller about crystals that "emitted colorful light.” An inventor who held multiple patents, the dancer was eager to experiment with Edison's crystals to enhance her celebrated dances. In the meantime, Curie had been obsessively studying a substance that "emitted…mysterious energy, which she named ‘radioactivity.’ ” When Fuller heard about Curie's discovery, she wrote to her in hopes of procuring some of the substance—radium—for new dances. Curie responded, intrigued that the dancer also had scientific interests. From that point on, the two women would maintain a lifelong connection, and they “met various times over the years—at their homes, in the Curie laboratories, in August Rodin’s studios, and once at the theater.” A solid researcher and an engaging storyteller, Heinecke focuses only on interpreting known details (such as those Fuller provides in her journal about Curie) rather than speculating on unknowns—e.g., what Curie thought of Fuller. The author's careful attention to history—especially as it pertains to the struggle creative women like Curie and Fuller faced for acceptance as creative equals to men—helps round out the text with feminist insights. The result is a unique, satisfying biography/creative nonfiction hybrid that celebrates the achievements of two women who revolutionized the artistic and scientific worlds.

An illuminating book for fans of biography and popular science.