Abstract
The sciences and applications of ionizing radiation and radioactivity only started in earnest with the discovery of X-rays by Wilhelm Roentgen in 1895, the discovery of radioactivity by Henri Bequerel in 1896, and the isolation and description of the two new radioactive elements polonium and radium from uranium ore pitchblende by Pierre and Marie Curie shortly thereafter. Until the end of the 19th century the powers of unstable atoms had remained hidden from all cultures, fluorescent glasses containing uranium salts being an exception. Even during early industrialization when silver miners encountered pitchblende1, an ore rich in uranium, this only meant misfortune, the end of silver streaks. The study of radioactivity and ionizing radiation was an important driver in the development of physical, chemical and biological sciences in the 20th century, both for the elucidation of atomic and nuclear forces, and the development of analytical and imaging tools. Albeit there were few industrial or medical applications beyond X-ray imaging in the early years of the 20th century, the public of the industrialized world developed a love ∗IAEA former Deputy Director General. †E-mail: werner.burkart@tele2.at “Pech” in German has two meanings, pitch or bad luck. Hence a proper translation would have been “bad luck glitter”. EPJ Web of Conferences DOI: 10.1051/
Highlights
The sciences and applications of ionizing radiation and radioactivity only started in earnest with the discovery of X-rays by Wilhelm Roentgen in 1895, the discovery of radioactivity by Henri Bequerel in 1896, and the isolation and description of the two new radioactive elements polonium and radium from uranium ore pitchblende by Pierre and Marie Curie shortly thereafter
Until the end of the 19th century the powers of unstable atoms had remained hidden from all cultures, fluorescent glasses containing uranium salts being an exception
The study of radioactivity and ionizing radiation was an important driver in the development of physical, chemical and biological sciences in the 20th century, both for the elucidation of atomic and nuclear forces, and the development of analytical and imaging tools
Summary
The sciences and applications of ionizing radiation and radioactivity only started in earnest with the discovery of X-rays by Wilhelm Roentgen in 1895, the discovery of radioactivity by Henri Bequerel in 1896, and the isolation and description of the two new radioactive elements polonium and radium from uranium ore pitchblende by Pierre and Marie Curie shortly thereafter. The nuclear energy from splitting the heaviest or fusing the lightest elements on earth yields five to six orders of magnitude more energy per fission or fusion event than the differential energy of chemical bonds set free during the oxidation of hydrocarbons in combustion But both scientists and politicians too readily explored the potential of this nuclear energy for the battle ground of World War II. An important and unique contribution of radioactive and stable isotopes concerns the understanding of the environment Be it live, organic and inorganic inventories or processes, nuclear tracers are available to study any developments, be it present, in a human history or geological time context. From climate history to the management of scarce water resources, nuclear analytics and forensics are central to “knowing before acting”
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