Book Description
Research in the biological as well as the physical sciences is again raising questions about the responsible uses of science, much as half a century ago, when the detonation of nuclear weapons led many scientists to consider the uses to which their discoveries were put. Otto Hahn (1879-1968) was awarded the 1944 Nobel Prize for Chemistry for his work on atomic fission: His experiments with Lise Meitner and Fritz Strassmann in Berlin in the 1930s and 1940s led to the discovery that uranium nuclei can undergo spontaneous fission, releasing enormous energies. The results, conveyed to England and the US by scientific refugees from Nazi Germany, instigated the Manhattan Project and the development of the Atomic Bomb. Reviled by many after the war as one of the people responsible for the carnage at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Hahn had already begun to reflect on the political and social responsibility of scientists for their fundamental discoveries and the subsequent applications of the knowledge they create. Already during the war, Hahn had protested Nazi restrictions on universities and researchers, and after the War he became actively involved in efforts to restrict the spread of nuclear weapons. In this volume Klaus Hoffmann discusses Hahn's contributions to science and his reflections on scientific and social responsibility. He concludes that Hahn's ideas can still serve as a foundation for responsible and moral actions by scientists. ... Read more

Book Description
Die Fragen nach verantwortlichem Forschen und nach der Verantwortung des einzelnen Wissenschaftlers rücken wieder verstärkt in den Mittelpunkt des öffentlichen Interesses. Otto Hahn, Entdecker der Kernspaltung und Nobelpreisträger, hat als Wissenschaftler diese Verantwortung bewußt getragen und kann somit als Vorbild auch in unserer Zeit gelten. Diese Biographie soll einen Beitrag zur aktuellen Diskussion liefern und Otto Hahn, der selbst bereits seine wissenschaftlichen Ergebnisse in der Zeitschrift Die Naturwissenschaften im SPRINGER-VERLAG veröffentlichte, aus Anlaß seines 25. Todestages ehren. Das Wirken Otto Hahns beschränkte sich nicht auf den Bereich der Wissenschaft: In den 30 Lebensjahren nach seiner aufsehenerregenden Entdeckung wandelten sich sein Leben und seine Ansichten über Wissenschaft grundlegend. Er verließ den Elfenbeinturm, um sich politisch zu engagieren und für seine Erkenntnis einzutreten, daß die Menschheit nicht mit der Atomspaltung und dem Krieg leben kann. ... Read more

Book Description
This digital document, covering the life and work of Otto Hahn, is an entry from Contemporary Authors, a reference volume published by Thompson Gale. The length of the entry is 2846 words. The page length listed above is based on a typical 300-word page. Although the exact content of each entry from this volume can vary, typical entries include the following information:

• Place and date of birth and death (if deceased)
• Family members
• Education
• Professional associations and honors
• Employment
• Writings, including books and periodicals
• A description of the author's work
• References to further readings about the author

Book Description
The exciting discovery of the 'bursting' or 'fission' of uranium owed as much to the characer of Hahn as to his great competence as a radiochemist. In all his scientific work one sees his untiring determination to get to the bottom of his problems, his refusal to be satisfied with less than as complete a knowledge of the facts as possible, followed by his acceptance of these facts, however unexpected they might be. Indeed, as he himself has said, more often than not he found something which he had not been looking for… He had an honesty and integrity which commanded the respect and trust of all. This is the story of Otto Hahn, who is often credited with ushering in the atomic age. ... Read more