Historical Events tagged with "plutonium"

Turns out history loves a label—battles, breakthroughs, and the occasional disaster, all neatly tagged for your browsing pleasure. Because sometimes you just need every weird invention in one place.

Military & Warfare

Pakistan's First Underground Nuclear Test

May 30th, 1998 26 years ago

In the Kharan Desert, Pakistan executed an underground nuclear test using a plutonium device. The detonation had a yield equivalent to 20 kilotons of TNT. This event was a significant demonstration of Pakistan's capabilities in nuclear weapons technology, igniting international discussions and concerns over nuclear proliferation in South Asia. The test was conducted as a response to India's previous nuclear tests earlier that month and marked a pivotal moment in regional security dynamics.

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Space Exploration

Transit-5BN Satellite Fails and Spreads Plutonium

April 21st, 1964 60 years ago

The Transit-5BN satellite, designed to enhance navigation capabilities for the U.S. Navy, failed to achieve orbit shortly after launch. During its re-entry, it released approximately 2.1 pounds (0.95 kg) of radioactive plutonium from its SNAP RTG power source. The incident occurred in the Atlantic Ocean, raising concerns about the environmental impact of space missions and the safety of radioactive materials in satellites.

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Accidents & Tragedies

Britain's Most Severe Nuclear Incident

October 10th, 1957 67 years ago

The Windscale fire was a significant nuclear incident that occurred at the Windscale facility in Cumbria, England. On that day, a fire broke out in a reactor, leading to the release of radioactive contamination into the environment. The incident arose from a combination of design flaws and operational errors during the production of plutonium for nuclear weapons. Emergency responses were initiated to contain the fire, which ultimately raised concerns about nuclear safety standards in the UK.

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Science & Technology

Louis Slotin Fatally Irradiated at Los Alamos

May 21st, 1946 78 years ago

During an experiment with the demon core at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, physicist Louis Slotin was fatally irradiated due to a criticality incident. Using a meticulous manual method to approach critical mass, Slotin inadvertently caused a prompt critical reaction. This resulted in an intense burst of radiation exposure, which later proved to be fatal.

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Science & Technology

Klaus Fuchs Delivers Plutonium Bomb Plans

October 18th, 1945 79 years ago

Klaus Fuchs, a German physicist, passed crucial information regarding the plutonium bomb developed by the United States to the Soviet Union. While working at the Los Alamos National Laboratory as part of the Manhattan Project, Fuchs provided detailed design plans that would greatly enhance the USSR's nuclear capabilities. This information was integral to the USSR's efforts to develop their atomic arsenal and was shared through espionage networks in the immediate post-war period.

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Accidents & Tragedies

Fatally Irradiated Incident Involving Harry Daghlian

August 21st, 1945 79 years ago

Harry Daghlian, a physicist, was fatally irradiated while conducting an experiment with the Demon core at Los Alamos National Laboratory. While working to determine the neutron reflection characteristics of the core, Daghlian accidentally dropped a brick that completed a neutron-reflecting configuration. This incident led to a criticality accident, causing a lethal dose of radiation before he could be treated for exposure.

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Science & Technology

Dr. Glenn T. Seaborg Isolates Plutonium

February 23rd, 1941 84 years ago

Dr. Glenn T. Seaborg successfully produced and isolated plutonium for the first time in a laboratory at the University of California, Berkeley. This groundbreaking achievement marked a significant milestone in nuclear chemistry and paved the way for future research into actinides and nuclear energy. The isolation of plutonium was crucial for both scientific inquiry and the development of atomic energy, occurring during a time when the world was on the brink of global conflict.

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Science & Technology

First Isolation of Plutonium-238 in Berkeley

December 14th, 1940 84 years ago

Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, managed to isolate plutonium-238, a significant isotope, on December 14, 1940. This was achieved by a team led by Glenn T. Seaborg, who utilized nuclear reactions involving uranium to produce and subsequently identify this new element. Their work was pivotal in advancing nuclear chemistry and physics, laying the groundwork for future developments in both research and nuclear energy applications.

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