Nuclear Technology

By mino

  • Special Theory of Relativity

    Albert Einstein introduces his special theory of relativity, which states that the laws of nature are the same for all observers and that the speed of light is not dependent on the motion of its source. The most celebrated result of his work is the mathematical formula E=mc2, or energy equals mass multiplied by the speed of light squared, which demonstrates that mass can be converted into energy.

  • Neutron is discovered

    English physicist and Nobel laureate James Chadwick exposes the metal beryllium to alpha particles and discovers the neutron, an uncharged particle. It is one of the three chief subatomic particles, along with the positively charged proton and the negatively charged electron. Alpha particles, consisting of two neutrons and two protons, are positively charged, and are given off by certain radioactive materials.

  • Cockcroft teams with Walton to split the atom

    British physicist John Cockcroft teams with Ernest Walton of Ireland to split the atom with protons accelerated to high speed. Their work wins them the Nobel Prize in physics in 1951.

  • First nuclear-reactor-produced radioisotopes for peacetime civilian use

    The U.S. Army's Oak Ridge facility in Tennessee ships the first nuclear-reactor-produced radioisotopes for peacetime civilian use to Brainard Cancer Hospital in St. Louis.

  • Atomic Energy Act of 1954

    The U.S. Congress passes the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, amending the 1946 act to allow the Atomic Energy Commission to license private companies to use nuclear materials and also to build and operate nuclear power plants. The act is designed to promote peaceful uses of nuclear energy through private enterprise, implementing President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s Atoms for Peace Program.

  • Energy Reorganization Act of 1974

    The Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 splits the Atomic Energy Commission into the Energy Research and Development Administration (ERDA) and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). ERDA’s responsibilities include overseeing the development and refinement of nuclear power, while the NRC takes up the issue of safe handling of nuclear materials.