Atomic Awakening
1st Edition
Published on 15. October 2010
368 pages
978-1-60598-203-8 (ISBN)
Description
"Persuasive and based on deep research. Atomic Awakening taught me a great deal." -Nature
The American public's introduction to nuclear technology was manifested in destruction and death. With Hiroshima and the Cold War still ringing in our ears, our perception of all things nuclear is seen through the lens of weapons development. Nuclear power is full of mind-bending theories, deep secrets, and the misdirection of public consciousness, some deliberate, some accidental. The result of this fixation on bombs and fallout is that the development of a non-polluting, renewable energy source stands frozen in time.
Outlining nuclear energy's discovery and applications throughout history, Mahaffey's brilliant and accessible book is essential to understanding the astounding phenomenon of nuclear power in an age where renewable energy and climate change have become the defining concerns of the twenty-first century.
The American public's introduction to nuclear technology was manifested in destruction and death. With Hiroshima and the Cold War still ringing in our ears, our perception of all things nuclear is seen through the lens of weapons development. Nuclear power is full of mind-bending theories, deep secrets, and the misdirection of public consciousness, some deliberate, some accidental. The result of this fixation on bombs and fallout is that the development of a non-polluting, renewable energy source stands frozen in time.
Outlining nuclear energy's discovery and applications throughout history, Mahaffey's brilliant and accessible book is essential to understanding the astounding phenomenon of nuclear power in an age where renewable energy and climate change have become the defining concerns of the twenty-first century.
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Book
12/2007
Pegasus Books
€19.00
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Person
James Mahaffey
Content
- Intro
- Title Page
- Copyright
- Dedication
- Author's Note: An Inside Joke
- Contents
- Introduction: The Paradox Inside a Puzzle Inside a Fantasy
- Part 1: The Fantasy
- Chapter 1: Invisible Demons
- Chapter 2: A Couple of Remaining Questions
- Chapter 3: Einstein Drops a Bomb
- Chapter 4: The Other End of the Universe
- Chapter 5: Breaking Open the Atom
- Part 2: The Puzzle
- Chapter 1: A Fortuitous Condensation of Genius
- Chapter 2: An Implied Threat from the Fatherland
- Chapter 3: A Jolt in the Dark
- Chapter 4: A Light at the Mouth of the Tunnel
- Chapter 5: Post-war Planning
- Part 3: The Paradox
- Chapter 1: A Quest for Power
- Chapter 2: Digging Canals, Curing Cancer, and Flying to Jupiter
- Chapter 3: The Graphite's On Fire!
- Chapter 4: Nuclear Rockets and Nuclear Airplanes
- Chapter 5: The Building Boom, the Bust, and a Resurgence 300
- Epilogue: The Radioactive Park
- Bibliography
- Acknowledgments
