The Physicist Who Wanted No Part in a Bomb
Part of Heroes and Hiccups: True Stories about Nuclear Weapon Risks
Lise Meitner
Lise Meitner was an early leader in the field of nuclear physics. Her work was integral to understanding nuclear fission, and she was on the team responsible for determining that the atom had been split.
After fleeing Nazi Germany, Meitner—who was born Jewish—was invited to join the Manhattan Project. She refused, saying, “I will have nothing to do with a bomb.” When her research partner was awarded the 1944 Nobel Prize, Meitner was left out.
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When Yeltsin Reached for the Nuclear Briefcase
