Tooele County Chronicle | 1947-10-03 | Page 10 | Science Now 'Spalliates' Atoms

NO EXPLOSION POSSIBLE idenie orb r C 07 now NC ff N w 43 ACV M vla a c w ten v asto atoms a ft JIMS scientists now can split the atoms of five more metals lead bismuth thallium platinum and tantalum achievements destined to open new roads toward man s ultimate mas tery ot of the atom however there s no need to worry about the poss b lity that a cheap atomic bomb could be made by splitting the atoms of such a corn com mon metal as lead according to prof glenn T universo ty of california phys cist who played a dominant role in development of the first atom bomb the day has not yet come when atomic bombs could be made with common elements such as lead and b dr said ampha sizing that the fission of such ele ments opens no pos sibil ty for the production of self sustaining chain reaction As a matter of fact he added they can t even be used as sources of atomic energy tor for purposes less violent than that of blowing man kind to bits they don t emit enough energy for that actually the atoms of the five metals are not split they re jphn scientists call this splintering process spall atlon to distinguish it from plain ord nary fission what good is the lation of atoms if they cant can t be utilized di erectly for atomic bombs or energy their purpose is humanitarian they will greatly enrich the field ot of scientific and med cal research by adding at least new radioactive isotopes to the more than al ready produced it is the beginning of a new phase of nuclear development he said next step is to create machines that develop such high energies that man will be able to create matter out of energy thus reversing the process of the atom bomb which turns matter into energy apparently the prospects for en bering this next energy reg on are goed good thus we may look forward to even more amazing developments in the fields of nuclear science dr predicted