Splitting the atom
A Telegraph reader, Dr. Robert Pleaming, pointed out that Saturday, April 14th was the day seventy-five years ago when John Cockcroft and Ernest Walton split the atom at Cambridge, and started the nuclear era. I heard no mention of this anniversary on the BBC. However, I was not glued to the BBC every minute of the day. Still I have my doubts they would take much joy in a British achievement such as this, though understanding the mysteries of atomic and subatomic structure will lead to transistors, CT scans, and MRIs.
There is more about their work in the Science Timeline.
| Permalink
| 
