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Radium is a radio active element that is found in very small amounts in uranium ores, such as pitchblende.

What the name means: Radium was named by Pierre and Marie Curie because it produced more radiation than any of the other radio active elements they had analysed.

Who identified polonium? Marie Curie became interested in radiation on hearing about Henri Becquerel’s observations on how pitchblende had fogged a photographic plate. She and her husband, Pierre Curie analysed a sample of pitchblende. After removing uranium and thorium from the ore, they used a new, sensitive electroscope to keep trace of the radio active material that remained. In 1898 they concluded that there were probably new, radio active elements in the sample and went on the isolate polonium and radium. After her husband's death, Marie Curie continued their investigations. She isolated the element radium in 1911.

About polonium: Radium is a shiny white, luminous metal. It is present in uranium ores.