Plutonium: A History of the World's Most Dangerous Element

Name: Plutonium: A History of the World's Most Dangerous Element
Brand: Joseph Henry Pr
SKU: 9780309102964-V
Price: 9.49 EUR
Availability: InStock
Rating: 5 (1 reviews)

By Jeremy Bernstein

Only 1 item left in stock

Description

When plutonium was first manufactured at Berkeley in the spring of 1941, there was so little of it that it was not visible to the naked eye. It took a year to accumulate enough so that one could actually see it. Now there is so much that we don't know what to do to get rid of it. We have created a monster. The history of plutonium is as strange as the element itself. When scientists began looking for it, they did so simply in the spirit of inquiry, not certain whether there were still spots to fill on the periodic table. But the discovery of fission made it clear that this still-hypothetical element would be more than just a scientific curiosity?it could be a powerful nuclear weapon. As it turned out, it is good for almost nothing else. Plutonium's nuclear potential put it at the heart of the World War II arms race?the Russians found out about it through espionage, the Germans through independent research, and everybody wanted some. Now, nearly everyone has some?the United States alone has about 47 metric tons?but it has almost no uses besides warmongering. How did the product of scientific curiosity become such a dangerous burden? In his new history of this complex and dangerous element, noted physicist Jeremy Bernstein describes the steps that were taken to transform plutonium from a laboratory novelty into the nuclear weapon that destroyed Nagasaki. This is the first book to weave together the many strands of plutonium's story, explaining not only the science but the people involved.

Product details

Release Date:

2007-04-01

Publication Date:

2007-04-01

Publisher:

Joseph Henry Pr

Languages:

Published: English, Original: English

ISBN10:

0309102960

Weight:

408 g

Buy on Amazon

Condition

Show less

Very good

Almost no signs of wear. Book pages have no markings, accessories are intact and all other media are in good condition.

Used - very good €9,49

Available immediately

€9,49

Incl. VAT, plus shipping costs

Only 1 item left in stock

Verified second-hand article

Verified second-hand item

Free shipping from 19€

€9,49