Marie Curie is the celebrated female scientist known for her groundbreaking work in the field of radioactivity. She was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize and remains the only person to win Nobel Prizes in both Physics and Chemistry. Curie's research on radioactive isotopes contributed significantly to the understanding of atomic structure and has had lasting implications in medical treatments and nuclear science. Her discoveries of the elements polonium and radium also laid the foundations for advancements in both physics and medicine.