The Atomic Age
From the moment Einstein solved the puzzle of the mass difference between helium and hydrogen, people quickly began to think about how this energy could be harnessed—and not precisely for humanitarian purposes. Fortunately, at the time this was impossible: the necessary conditions existed only in the Sun. That is why, when the chain reaction that made a nuclear reaction with an unprecedented release of energy possible was discovered, research quickly turned toward the development of the bomb. Induced fission was discovered shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War. This coincidence would launch both sides into a race to get there before the other. On one side, Germany, the birthplace of quantum physics, appeared to have an advantage. This would be one of the main reasons why the Allies placed engineers and scientists at the service of the war machine, providing them with all the material resources they needed and allowing them to take part in the greatest scientific challenge...