nuclear-news

Physicists unleashed the power of the atom — but to what end?

From laboratory quirks to Earth-shattering weapons, a chain of discoveries reached a devastating conclusion.

Book Review, By Ann Finkbeiner

Destroyer of Worlds: The Deep History of the Nuclear Age Frank Close Basic (2025)

First, let’s clear up some potential confusion: in Destroyer of Worlds: The Deep History of the Nuclear Age, ‘deep’ in the subtitle means, not the minutiae of historic events, but ‘scientific’. Physicist Frank Close’s latest book discusses the physics and chemistry behind nuclear weapons — that is, the understanding of the atom and the energy it holds. The story begins with the discovery of electric currents that couldn’t be blocked by solid materials and ends with the technological ability to blow cities off the map.

 Nature 28th July 2025, https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-02350-y

August 1, 2025 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | media, resources - print