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Neutrons in Italy
In this year, Uranium had the most protons of any of the known elements. Enrico Fermi believed he synthesized elements with atomic numbers beyond the limit known on the periodic table. It was still a hypothesis at the time and not information was known for them to confirm it. -
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Curiosity in Berlin
Fermi's experiment caught the attention of Berlin physicist Lise Meitner. She knew she couldn't do the same thing Fermi couldn't do. So she asked Otto Hahn as well as Fritz Strassman. Together they began investigate neutron induced uranium decay. Later Hahn confirmed the chemical evidence of transuranes. -
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Meitner's Exile
The political situation in Germany had become dangerous for Meitner. The Nazis were targeting her due to being a Jewish descent so she fled to Sweden. In Berlin, Hahn and Strassman had to be careful due to the fascist watching them. Although they were separated, they still communicated by letter. -
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Shocking Discovery
The Berlin team learned they were looking in the wrong place. They looked in a area they had previous ignored and found critical evidence. After Hahn wrote to Meitner, to confirm. She wrote back and that led to the discovery of nuclear fisson. Hahn was reworded a nobel prize. Meitner was not recognized for her role in the experiment until after her death in 1968.