Show discovery of radium revealed that atom was shattered with explosive violence Viole fice the discovery of ct r radium and the phenomenon of radioactivity radio activity turned the tha course of history tor for twentieth century physics writes john A maloney in the scientific american with its discovery came the knowl edge that the tha atoms of certain heavy elements element were not permanently stable but broke up with explosive violence the inner structure of the atom which had defied the mind of man since the days of the atomists ato mists in ancient greece the discovery of isotopic elements elements Icle identical ritt in their physical and chemical makeup but dif differing foring in hi their atomic weights these and many other secrets of matter were solved by the discovery of radium wen men were excited about the possibilities ties of this new substance the energy that thai it gave off ff was staggering to the imagination it was natural that the quest question lon should arise as to how this energy could be harnessed and put to work flannery and the others thrilled with the possibilities were not such eminent physicists as sir ernest rutherford writing essays on harnessing the energy of radium and its future as a source of power all ot of these men realized that what was needed was a that would speed up the rate of disintegration of radium so that instead of dissipating half of its en ergy in 1690 years its power could be ba drawn on off to turn a dynamo or push a piston in an instant it may appear now that they were anticipating and were far ahead of their times |