Overview
Officials on the Manhattan Project recruited accomplished scientists, some of whom won Nobel Prizes for their contributions to physics, chemistry, medicine, and peace. Despite their groundbreaking work on the atomic bomb, some notable figures like J. Robert Oppenheimer never received the prestigious award.
Key Points
- Over two dozen Nobel Prize winners were involved in the Manhattan Project during World War II.
- Scientists such as Niels Bohr, James Franck, and Enrico Fermi made significant contributions to the project.
- Joseph Rotblat, the only scientist to leave the project for moral reasons, later won the Nobel Peace Prize.
Scientist Spotlights
Niels Bohr: Known for incorporating quantum mechanics into atomic structure descriptions.
James Franck: Supported Niels Bohr’s atomic theory and authored the Franck Report.
Enrico Fermi: Discovered radioactive isotopes and built the first controlled nuclear reaction.
Joseph Rotblat: Left the project and later advocated for nuclear disarmament, winning the Nobel Peace Prize.
Frederick Reines: Conducted experiments proving the existence of neutrinos, winning a Nobel Prize in 1995.
Roy Glauber: Applied quantum theory to describe light properties, contributing to quantum optics and winning a Nobel Prize in 2005.