Discover

Share

Download

Features

/

Article

The discovery of fission

NOV 01, 1967

Initial formulations of nuclear fission are colored with the successes, failures and just plain bad luck of several scientists from different nations. The winning combination of good fortune and careful thought made this exciting concept a reality.

DOI: 10.1063/1.3034021

Otto R. Frisch

John A. Wheeler

THE NEUTRON was discovered in 1932. Why, then, did it take seven years before nuclear fission was found? Fission is obviously a striking phenomenon; it results in a large amount of radioactivity of all kinds and produces fragments that have more than ten times the total ionization of anything previously known. So why did it take so long? The question might be answered best by reviewing the situation in Europe from an experimentalist’s point of view.

More about the Authors

Otto R. Frisch. Cambridge University, England.

John A. Wheeler. Princeton's physics department.

© 1967. American Institute of Physics

This Content Appeared In

Volume 20, Number 11

Related content

Features

/

Article

Landing a job in the private sector

Technical knowledge and skills are only some of the considerations that managers have when hiring physical scientists. Soft skills, in particular communication, are also high on the list.

October 17, 2025 11:20 AM

Features

/

Article

A home base for your career

Professional societies can foster a sense of belonging and offer early-career scientists opportunities to give back to their community.

October 16, 2025 10:13 AM

Features

/

Article

The successes and challenges of US–Soviet scientific communication

Research exchanges between US and Soviet scientists during the second half of the 20th century may be instructive for navigating today’s debates on scientific collaboration.

October 01, 2025 12:00 AM

Features

/

Article

Political currents

The Eisenhower administration dismissed the director of the National Bureau of Standards in 1953. Suspecting political interference with the agency’s research, scientists fought back—and won.

October 01, 2025 12:00 AM

Features

/

Article

Reframing the narrative on physics readiness

Alternative undergraduate physics courses expand access to students and address socioeconomic barriers that prevent many of them from entering physics and engineering fields. The courses also help all students develop quantitative skills.

October 01, 2025 12:00 AM

Features

/

Article

Where physics meets poetry

Defying the often-perceived incompatibility between the two subjects, some physicists are using poetry to communicate science and to explore the human side of their work.

September 01, 2025 12:00 AM

Get PT in your inbox

Physics Today - The Week in Physics

The Week in Physics" is likely a reference to the regular updates or summaries of new physics research, such as those found in publications like Physics Today from AIP Publishing or on news aggregators like Phys.org.

Physics Today - Table of Contents

Physics Today - Whitepapers & Webinars