1938–1945 · Europe · Science
Researchers showed that splitting some atomic nuclei released enormous energy, leading rapidly to reactors and atomic weapons during the Second World War.
Atlas dossier · World WarsFree device narration · synchronized English captions · transcript available
Why it matters
Researchers showed that splitting some atomic nuclei released enormous energy, leading rapidly to reactors and atomic weapons during the Second World War.
Lise Meitner · Otto Hahn · Fritz Strassmann · nuclear workers · affected civilians
Fission created new sources of power and an enduring threat of mass destruction that reshaped international politics.
Interpretation note
This dossier distinguishes the event’s basic chronology from later arguments about meaning, responsibility and legacy. When comparing religious, national, Indigenous or scholarly interpretations, consult the primary and institutional sources above alongside peer-reviewed historical work.
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