Pioneering on Nuclear Frontiers

ON DECEMBER 2, 1942, Enrico Fermi stood in a racquets court under old West Stands of Stagg Field at University of Chicago and directed experiment that resulted in first self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction. During morning hours and on into afternoon Fermi checked rise of neutron intensity within pile as a young physicist named George Weil withdrew cadmium control rod. Finally, at 3:25 p. m. Fermi declared chain reaction self-sustaining. For many that moment marks beginning of atomic era. Arthur Compton in his now famous telephone call to President James B. Conant at Harvard cast his coded message in historical terms. Jim, he said, the Italian navigator has just landed in new world.' The December 2 experiment was experienced, and even anticipated, as an historical event. The 42 persons who witnessed experiment sensed that they were standing for a moment in main stream of world history. Though Fermi experiment is certainly best known nuclear event, world may as long remember December 20, 1951. If you take trouble to travel to Idaho Falls, Idaho, and then drive some 40 miles west along desert, you will find a windowless brick building with these words inscribed in an amateur hand on one of interior walls: Electricity was first generated here from Atomic Energy on December 20, 1951. On December 21, 1951-all of electric power in this building was supplied from Atomic Energy

Nuclear engineering · Engineering · Research, Science, and Academia · Twentieth Century Scientific Developments