This 1993 volume studies the technical research that led to the first atomic bombs. The authors explore how the 'critical assembly' of scientists, engineers, and military personnel at Los Alamos, collaborated during World War II to create a new approach to research. Readers will find this book a crucial resource for understanding the underpinnings of contemporary science and technology.
Starting in the 1950s, US physicists dominated the search for elementary particles; aided by the association of this research with national security, they held this position for decades. In an effort to maintain their hegemony and track down the elusive Higgs boson, they convinced President Reagan and Congress to support construction of the multibillion-dollar Superconducting Super Collider project in Texas—the largest basic-science project ever attempted. But after the Cold War ended and the estimated SSC cost surpassed ten billion dollars, Congress terminated the project in October 1993. Drawing on extensive archival research, contemporaneous press accounts, and over one hundred interviews with scientists, engineers, government officials, and others involved, Tunnel Visions tells the riveting story of the aborted SSC project. The authors examine the complex, interrelated causes for its demise, including problems of large-project management, continuing cost overruns, and lack of foreign contributions. In doing so, they ask whether Big Science has become too large and expensive, including whether academic scientists and their government overseers can effectively manage such an enormous undertaking.
This work tells the human story of the process of invention that led to the invention of the transistor.
A Technical History of Los Alamos During the Oppenheimer Years, 1943 1945
Focusing on the intricate research and development processes, this book delves into the scientific advancements that culminated in the creation of both implosion and gun-type nuclear weapons. It explores the critical contributions from nuclear physics, chemistry, and metallurgy that paved the way for the development of the 'Super' bomb, offering a comprehensive understanding of the technical innovations behind these pivotal weapons.
The first full-length biography of a brilliant, self-taught inventor whose innovations in information and energy technology continue to shape our world.