Definition

A unit of radioactivity named after Marie Curie that measures 3.7×10¹⁰ nuclear decays per second—essentially the scientific equivalent of counting invisible explosions happening really, really fast. It's how physicists measure how much their samples are trying to escape the periodic table.

Example Usage

The contaminated soil sample measured at 2.5 curies, which meant the lab safety officer needed a strong coffee and an even stronger prayer.

Source: Merriam-Webster via Free Dictionary API; standard physics terminology

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