My name is Elliot C. Frank. I am 94 years old, and this is my story.
During World War II, I was a part of the most significant scientific endeavor in human history. The world had never seen anything like it before. It was called the Manhattan Project. But why was this project different from all the others? What set the Manhattan Project, the American effort to create an atomic bomb, apart?
First of all, the Manhattan Project dealt with an entirely new frontier- that of nuclear fission. Up until 1938, the science that formed the foundation of the project was unheard of. This wasn't an endeavor to develop or enhance a weapon that already existed- it was all brand new.
Also, the project completely changed scientific research. It was the early twentieth century, and most research was conducted at universities or by specialized scientific organizations. Individuals or small teams of scientists worked in modest laboratories to make innovative discoveries. After the Manhattan Project, scientific research projects began to involve hundreds of scientists, multinational organizations, and enormous machines. The Manhattan Project became the transition between "Little Science" and "Big Science."
The project marked the beginning of a new relationship between science and government. It became in the government's interest to fund scientific research to generate new weapons or defense systems. Scientists became crucial to national security.
The Manhattan Project unleashed an entirely new force on the world- that of atomic energy. This force could be used for tremendous good, but it could also be used to cause unparalleled destruction. The science that caused the Cold War was instrumental in the development of MRI machines, helping doctors to detect problems and disorders in patients long before physical symptoms appear.
However, not all of Manhattan Project's consequences changed the world. This is the story of how, as just an insignificant young physicist, the project changed me.
First of all, the Manhattan Project dealt with an entirely new frontier- that of nuclear fission. Up until 1938, the science that formed the foundation of the project was unheard of. This wasn't an endeavor to develop or enhance a weapon that already existed- it was all brand new.
Also, the project completely changed scientific research. It was the early twentieth century, and most research was conducted at universities or by specialized scientific organizations. Individuals or small teams of scientists worked in modest laboratories to make innovative discoveries. After the Manhattan Project, scientific research projects began to involve hundreds of scientists, multinational organizations, and enormous machines. The Manhattan Project became the transition between "Little Science" and "Big Science."
The project marked the beginning of a new relationship between science and government. It became in the government's interest to fund scientific research to generate new weapons or defense systems. Scientists became crucial to national security.
The Manhattan Project unleashed an entirely new force on the world- that of atomic energy. This force could be used for tremendous good, but it could also be used to cause unparalleled destruction. The science that caused the Cold War was instrumental in the development of MRI machines, helping doctors to detect problems and disorders in patients long before physical symptoms appear.
However, not all of Manhattan Project's consequences changed the world. This is the story of how, as just an insignificant young physicist, the project changed me.