5
• 1934: Enrico Fermi (1901–1954) demonstrated the ability of neutrons to split
atomic nuclei.
• 1938: Otto Hahn (1879–1968) and Fritz Strassman (1902–1980) discovered
nuclear fission which verified the validity of the famous Einstein’s equation
E = mc
2
.
• 1939: Fréderic Joliot-Curie (1900–1958) with his team demonstrated that the
fission of uranium
• 1941: Glenn Seaborg (1912–1999) and his research team discovered plutonium.
• 1942: Enrico Fermi and Leo Szilard (1898–1964) demonstrated the first selfsustaining nuclear fission reaction (at the University of Chicago).
• 1942–1945: Under the Manhattan Project, the first nuclear bomb was built. In
1945, two bombs were used for bombarding Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan.
The first of them used highly enriched
235
U, while the second one was based on
239
Pu extracted from uranium irradiated in a nuclear reactor.
• 1949: The Soviet Union tested the first two atomic bombs at a test site near
Semipalatinsk (now in Kazakhstan).
• 1952: The inhalation of radioactive aerosols was found as the cause of “Jáchymov
miner’s disease”.
• 1952: The UK tested its first atomic bomb.
• 1954: In Obninsk (near Moscow), the USSR began operation of the world’s first
grid-connected nuclear power plant (5 MW).
• 1955: The first United Nations International Conference on the Peaceful Uses of
Atomic Energy took place in Geneva, Switzerland.
• 1957: The UN officially formed the International Atomic Agency (IAEA).
• 1960: France tested its first atomic bomb.
• 1964: China tested its first atomic bomb.
• 1968: The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) was signed.
• 1970: Altogether 84 nuclear power reactors were operated in the world. Their
combined electricity generation capacity was about 17,700 MW.
• 1974: India tested its first nuclear bomb.
• 1979: An accident happened at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant
(Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA) resulting in a limited core meltdown.
• 1980: In the world 245 nuclear power reactors were producing electricity with
the combined generation capacity amounted to 133,000 MW.
• 1986: An accident at the Chernobyl nuclear plant with serious consequences of
spreading radioactive material into the environment occurred.
• 1990: In the USA, 110 nuclear power plants generated electricity surpassing all
fuel sources combined in 1956.
• 1990: There were altogether 416 nuclear power reactors in operation in the
world; their combined electricity generation capacity was about 318,000 MW.
• 1998: Pakistan detonated its first nuclear weapon.
• 2000: Worldwide, 435 nuclear power reactors were in operation with a combined
electricity generation capacity of 349,999 MW.
• 2010: On the whole, 441 nuclear power reactors were operated in the world; their
combined electricity generation capacity was about 375,300 MW.
Uranium in the Beginning of the Nuclear Age: Reflections on the Historical Role…
• 1934: Enrico Fermi (1901–1954) demonstrated the ability of neutrons to split
atomic nuclei.
• 1938: Otto Hahn (1879–1968) and Fritz Strassman (1902–1980) discovered
nuclear fission which verified the validity of the famous Einstein’s equation
E = mc
2
.
• 1939: Fréderic Joliot-Curie (1900–1958) with his team demonstrated that the
fission of uranium
• 1941: Glenn Seaborg (1912–1999) and his research team discovered plutonium.
• 1942: Enrico Fermi and Leo Szilard (1898–1964) demonstrated the first selfsustaining nuclear fission reaction (at the University of Chicago).
• 1942–1945: Under the Manhattan Project, the first nuclear bomb was built. In
1945, two bombs were used for bombarding Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan.
The first of them used highly enriched
235
U, while the second one was based on
239
Pu extracted from uranium irradiated in a nuclear reactor.
• 1949: The Soviet Union tested the first two atomic bombs at a test site near
Semipalatinsk (now in Kazakhstan).
• 1952: The inhalation of radioactive aerosols was found as the cause of “Jáchymov
miner’s disease”.
• 1952: The UK tested its first atomic bomb.
• 1954: In Obninsk (near Moscow), the USSR began operation of the world’s first
grid-connected nuclear power plant (5 MW).
• 1955: The first United Nations International Conference on the Peaceful Uses of
Atomic Energy took place in Geneva, Switzerland.
• 1957: The UN officially formed the International Atomic Agency (IAEA).
• 1960: France tested its first atomic bomb.
• 1964: China tested its first atomic bomb.
• 1968: The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) was signed.
• 1970: Altogether 84 nuclear power reactors were operated in the world. Their
combined electricity generation capacity was about 17,700 MW.
• 1974: India tested its first nuclear bomb.
• 1979: An accident happened at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant
(Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA) resulting in a limited core meltdown.
• 1980: In the world 245 nuclear power reactors were producing electricity with
the combined generation capacity amounted to 133,000 MW.
• 1986: An accident at the Chernobyl nuclear plant with serious consequences of
spreading radioactive material into the environment occurred.
• 1990: In the USA, 110 nuclear power plants generated electricity surpassing all
fuel sources combined in 1956.
• 1990: There were altogether 416 nuclear power reactors in operation in the
world; their combined electricity generation capacity was about 318,000 MW.
• 1998: Pakistan detonated its first nuclear weapon.
• 2000: Worldwide, 435 nuclear power reactors were in operation with a combined
electricity generation capacity of 349,999 MW.
• 2010: On the whole, 441 nuclear power reactors were operated in the world; their
combined electricity generation capacity was about 375,300 MW.
Uranium in the Beginning of the Nuclear Age: Reflections on the Historical Role…