Niagara falls

Niagara is an Indian word which means "roaring waters". Indeed, the roar of the Niagara falling waters can be heard within a distance of 25 kms. Imagine a mass of water flowing over a cliff 90 feet high and you will get an idea of that terrible noise.

And what tremendous power the Niagara has! It moves big rocks about and throws them into the boiling waters below.

Some time ago an old ship without a single person on board was put in mid-stream. It sailed down the river like a toy boat with great speed. Having reached the fall, the ship dropped into the boiling waters, never to appear again.

There were some people who wanted to become famous by swimming across the most dangerous part of the Niagara River. One of them was Captain Webb. His having said that he would try to swim across the Niagara drew crowds of people. On the evening of July 24th, 1883, Captain Webb came up to the river and took a plunge. His having jumped into the water filled many people with horror. Soon, however, he appeared in the middle of the river. A loud shout went up from the crowd, but a moment later there was a dead silence. The man had disappeared under the water. Thousands of eyes were fixed on the river, but the man was drowned

In 1902, a certain Miss Taylor decided to go over the falls in a barrel. There were different kinds of pillows inside the barrel to prevent being hurt. Having examined the barrel carefully, Miss Taylor got in. The barrel was closed and then thrown into the river. Having reached the falls, it overturned and was shot down by the terrible force of the water. When the barrel was finally caught and opened, Miss Taylor came out alive but with a frightened look in her eyes.

Once a crowd of visitors saw a rope being put over from one bank of the river to the other. Then they saw a man step out onto the rope. The man was an actor, Blondin by name. He managed to cross Niagara Fall on a tight rope. The people on the bank were surprised at his having done it so well.

Marie curie

Madam Curie was born in Warsaw, Poland, in 1867. Her name was Marie Sklodowska. Her mother died when she was a child, so she was brought up by her father, who was a teacher of physics and mathematics.

At a time when most girls were playing with their dolls, Marie was helping her father with his experiments. Each day after school was over she would hurry back to her father's workshop where she loved to dream of new discoveries.

When she was sixteen, she graduated from a junior College with high honours. She had hoped to teach in the schools of Warsaw, but since there were no positions open, she became a governess.

After several years she returned to Warsaw. She wanted to obtain a better education, so she went to Paris to enter the university. There she could study chemistry. But she needed money to live in Paris, so she looked for work in a laboratory.

Day after day she called on various scientists. Everywhere she went, she was told, "Science is a man's work. A laboratory is not a place for a woman. Why don't you try housework or making hats?"

Marie was determined that she would find work in a laboratory and continued her search. At last she was successful. Professor Gabriel Lippman, who worked in the Research Laboratories at the Sorbonne University, felt sorry for the girl. He told her that he would give her a chance. He

wanted to see what she could do. Marie started at once to dean the laboratory and wash and scour the utensils. The professor was delighted with the result and soon had her helping him with some of his experiments. At the same time, she studied chemistry at the university from which she graduated two years later with high honours.

Marie became great friends with one of Lippman's students, named Pierre Curie. They were married soon after.

Marie and Pierre were very happy. They continued to work together in the laboratory. At that time professor Henry Becquerel had discovered mat uranium gave off special rays like rays of light. The Curies were interested to find out more about these rays and what caused them.