Pierre and Marie Curie are best known for their pioneering work in the study of radioactivity, which led to their discovery in 1898 of the elements radium and polonium.
1 The beam of your boat is the width at the widest part of the boat.  To measure the beam, stand inside the boat and run a measuring tape from the port (left) side to the starboard (right) side at the widest section of your boat.
on the beam, 1  on the course indicated by a radio beam, as an airplane. 2  Nautical. at right angles to the keel. 3  Informal. proceeding well; correct; exact: Their research is right on the beam and the results should be very valuable.