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The amazing journey of the core of the atomic bomb: How did it go from the Manhattan Project to the stage of history?
On the eve of the end of World War II, the United States' Manhattan Project not only brought about the birth of the atomic bomb, but also left some indelible memories. One of the most notorious incidents involved the "Devil's Core," a plutonium core weighing 6.2 kilograms and 8.9 centimeters in diameter. The fate of this core was extraordinary, as it was involved in two fatal radiation accidents, ultimately presenting a sobering historical picture of the relationship between scientific exploration and safety lapses.
"Seeking answers from mistakes is often a necessary price for scientific development."
Manufacturing and Early History
The "Demon Core" was created during the Manhattan Project and was originally planned to be the third nuclear weapon to be dropped on Japan. However, following Japan's surrender on August 15, 1945, the core was left at Los Alamos for testing. The core is made of a plutonium-germanium alloy and is specifically designed to prevent leakage of neutron flux. Such technological processes are crucial for scientific research, but also present significant risks.
"In order to approach the critical point of the experiment, we walked around the unsafe boundary."
First accident
On August 21, 1945, scientist Harry Dahlian had an accident while conducting a neutron reflector experiment. While conducting experiments alone, he accidentally dropped a reflective brick on the core, causing the core to enter a supercritical state and release deadly radiation. Despite the bricks being quickly removed, he received a fatal dose of radioactivity and died of acute radiation poisoning 25 days later.
"Sometimes a mistake is an unbearable price."
Second accident
On May 21, 1946, another physicist, Louis Slotin, was conducting a similar experiment, and his operation accidentally caused the core to become supercritical again. At this time, a large amount of energy was released in a flash of radiation, and Slotin lost his life immediately, while other observers also suffered varying degrees of radiation damage. Both incidents not only changed the lives of those involved, but also attracted national attention.
"We are playing with the dragon's tail without realizing the danger it contains."
Medical research and subsequent impact
These accidents led to subsequent medical studies that evaluated the health of participants. Although the health status of those affected has been investigated, the long-term effects remain difficult to explain. As research deepens, scientists realize that such experimental processes require more stringent standards and protection measures, because past negligence has paid a heavy price.
"Paying attention to safety is the fundamental guarantee for advancing scientific exploration."
The fate and future of Demon Core
Although "Devil Core" was originally planned to be used in subsequent nuclear tests, after the accident, its use plan was completely canceled. In the summer of 1946, the core was melted down and its materials recycled. History finally gave this core a peaceful ending, but behind it lies countless debates and issues that scientists have pondered over.
Now that we review this period of history, we can’t help but think: Can scientific exploration really be unrestricted?
