Harry Daghlian did not expect a simple breach of safety protocols to lead to his death. On the evening of August 21, 1945, Daghlian went alone to work on his...
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There were a total of 1,021 nuclear tests completed between 1951 and 1992. Anyone involved in these tests were put in fluctuating levels of danger. The U.S. government wanted to do something to honor participants. This led to the creation of nuclear test site certificates of participation. Given the serious…
After a few government researchers died near the end of the Manhattan Project while dealing with nuclear materials during criticality experiments, a team to address safety concerns was created. Since 1978, there has not been one death connected to criticality experiments thanks to this team. A woman named Libby Johnson…
The year is 1935 and Lise Meitner, Otto Hahn, and Fritz Strassmann are working tirelessly to understand which heavy natural elements change under neutron bombardment. Three years later, they had discovered around 10 different half-life activities of natural elements. Soon after, Hahn and Strassman discover 6 more. While bombarding these…
You may be surprised to hear that in Colorado, they tried using nuclear bombs for a very unique goal: fracking to extract natural oil and gas. Post World War II, people were eagerly trying to find usefulness for nuclear weapons that did not involve war or killing. This idea was…
Let’s talk about the world’s first detonation of a nuclear weapon: Trinity. This test was conducted by the US Army at 5:30 a.m. on July 16, 1945 in Alamogordo, New Mexico. Once detonated, the tower where the atomic bomb sat was completely obliterated into dust. It was a success. The…
We may not often hear stories of women’s roles during the Manhattan Project. One notable woman named Jane Puckett had a great influence on the future atomic bomb. Women were not allowed to enroll in the engineering program at the University of Tennessee in the 1940s, so Jane graduated with…
Book Recommendations for Former Energy Workers Many of you have lived through the Manhattan Project or another key event that led nuclear energy to where it is today. There are many books out there that may interest you on the subject, so we have pulled together a few that you…
Race and Reputation During the Cold War arms race, the United States also fought to win the support and friendship of other countries – particularly those in Africa and Asia....
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Einstein working on an equation Credit: ThoughtCo Albert Einstein was a German-born theoretical physicist. He wasn’t allowed to work on the Manhattan Project because of concerns about him being a...
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