In the history of atomic research, few stories are as poignant or cautionary as that of the demonic core, a plutonium sphere designed for one of the most devastating weapons in history. This story not only encapsulates the highest point of atomic ambition, but also serves as a somber reminder of the human costs that … Read more
Otto Hahn (left) won a Nobel Prize for the discovery of nuclear fission and would later downplay his colleague Lise Meitner (right) for her crucial role in the discovery.ullstein bild Dtl./Getty Images Lise Meitner identified the fission process when her male colleagues could not figure it out. Her close colleague, Otto Hahn, downplayed the important … Read more
Scientists have discovered the first indications that nuclear fission is taking place between stars. The discovery supports the idea that when neutron stars collide, they create ‘superheavy’ elements – heavier than the heaviest elements on the periodic table – which are then broken down via nuclear fission to birth elements such as the gold in … Read more
The United States will work with other governments to accelerate efforts to make nuclear fusion a new source of carbon-free energy, the US climate envoy said John Kerry said Tuesday, marking the latest of many U.S. announcements over the past week aimed at combating climate change. Nuclear fusion fuses two hydrogen atoms together to produce … Read more