Today radioactivity is widely used to treat cancer, to study fossils, and to power submarines, but until the late 1800s man's understanding of this scientific field was practically non-existent. Indeed, the discovery of spontaneous radioactivity was largely accidental--the by-product of research by the French scientist Henri Becquerel.

"Atomic Universe" traces the path to the discovery of radioactivity and places this major scientific breakthrough in the context of history. This intriguing book profiles the key scientific players and features inspirational accounts of their childhoods and their development as scientists.

Young readers learn about the lives and work of groundbreaking scientists such as Marie and Pierre Curie and trace the beginnings of the atomic age. Readers embark on a dramatic quest of discovery and peer ahead to see what the future holds for the science of radioactivity in the nuclear age.