You've heard of Einstein, Oppenheimer, Bohr, and Heisenberg. But have you heard of Lise Meitner? She lived a fascinating and difficult life and made a crucial discovery for the atom bomb. The Woman Who Split the Atom: The Life of Lise Meitner by Marissa Moss is about the Austrian Jewish physicist Lise Meitner who discovered nuclear fission during World War II.
Fascinating story, thank you. Meitner certainly deserved the Nobel Prize and it’s puzzling why she was denied so many times. I have known several Nobel Laureates, including my good friend and hiking partner Barry Blumberg. It is clear to me that the Prize is very political, characterized by intense infighting, especially in the physics community. But we can certainly honor Meitner for her achievements as you have done, and especially appreciate her adamant refusal to work on nuclear weapons.
Thank you so much, Tom! It is interesting to hear a confirmation that the prize is political with infighting. I'm not too surprised. And yes, I definitely respect Meitner's refusal to directly work on weapons of war. Thanks for reading!
Fascinating story, thank you. Meitner certainly deserved the Nobel Prize and it’s puzzling why she was denied so many times. I have known several Nobel Laureates, including my good friend and hiking partner Barry Blumberg. It is clear to me that the Prize is very political, characterized by intense infighting, especially in the physics community. But we can certainly honor Meitner for her achievements as you have done, and especially appreciate her adamant refusal to work on nuclear weapons.
Thank you so much, Tom! It is interesting to hear a confirmation that the prize is political with infighting. I'm not too surprised. And yes, I definitely respect Meitner's refusal to directly work on weapons of war. Thanks for reading!