The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-11-22
NOBEL AWARDS
RECOGNIZE TWO
SCIENCE FEATS
Discovery of Neutron and
That of Artificial Radio
activity.
Be- Science scrrice

Chadwick in physics recognize two
of the most important achievements
in physical science in recent years:
Discovery of the neutron, now
considered one Of the three ulti-
mate particles of all matter in the
universe-the achievement Of Dr.
James Chadwick, now of Liverpool
University and at the time Of his
discovery in 1882 at Cavendish Lab
oratory in Cambridge, England.
Discovery of artificial radioactivity
and manufacture Of new radioactive
elements-the achievement of the
Joliots, Partisan husband-and-w
research team, early IN 1884.
First Case on Record
The award to Irene Curie, as she
signs her research papers, marked
the first case Of a child of Nobel
prize winner receiving the Nobel
prize. For Nine Joliot is the daugh-
ter of the late Pierre and Marie
Curie, Nobelists jointly with Henri
Becquerel in 1903 for their work on
radioactivity. The mother of Irene
Curie also received the Nobel prize
in chemistry in 1911, thus becoming
twice a Nobelist, still a unique
achievement
The discovery Of the neutron by
DR.. Chadwick grew out of the
modem alchemy Of physics where
~ 'anSmutation is accomplished
not he sordid turning of lead into
gold desired by the ancients, but
more important to science, the
turning Of many light atoms into
other elements in small but signif-
icant amounts Lord Rutherford,
Nobelist himself and head Of
Cavendlsh Laboratory knocked
"H' chemical symbol for hydro
gem cut Of nitrogen in 1919. There
was one lightweight element,
5eryllium that resisted similar
transmutation, and it was an at
tack on this metal that produced
neutrons.
Powerful Radiation
When bombarded with a stream
OF helium atomic hearts let loose
by that radioactive cousin of ra-
dium called polonium, there was
produced from beryllium a stream
of powerful radiation. The Joliots
in Paris and two Germans, Bottle
and Becker, thought that it was
the well-knoWn gamma radiation
so useful in cancer treatment, but
DR.. Chadwick recognized it as
stream Of electrically neutral par
ticles which had been suspected
from theory and had even been
named 'neutrons" before discov-
cry.
Because of its electrical neutral
ity, the neutron has the ability to
plunge itself into places that can
not be reached by other atomic par
tlcleS. 1t was Immediately seized
upon as a very welcome tool for
prying open the atom. Used by in
vestigatorS in America and else
where, it opened up a new bonanza
OF atomic knowledge.
Two years later the achievement
of artificial radioactivity by the
Joliets was World-acclaimed The
persistence and unchanged nature
OF natural radioactiyity has per-
picked scientists. Try as they will,
they can not speed, slow or other
wise change an iota the constant
natural disintegration of radium or
any other radioactive substance.
First in Aluminium
Man-caused radioactivity was
first produced in aluminium. familiar
metal. A stream of helium atom
hearts was flung at a thin foil of
this metal. Out came first neutrons
and then a stream of positions, an
other atomic particle discovered in
1882 by DR.. Carl D. Anderson of the
Callfornla Institute of Technology.
what was unusual and important
is that the POSITIONS were flung off
Tor many minutes after the bonn
oardment stopped. The atom was
dlsintegrated not like an explosive
shell but like an incendiary bomb.
Here was radioactivity made to
order. There was great activity in
laboratories as atomic particles of
various kinds were flung by high
voltage current at various sub
stances. A large number of sub
stances were transmitted into new
radio-elements that lived for min
uteS, hours or few days and then
blew themselves up with release of
powerful radiations.
Hope Is Aroused
There was hope aroused that
these new radio elements would be
OF medical and industrial i'm
portance. Today it is known that
plans are under way in one labora-
tory at the University of California
70 produce radiosodim in quantity
in the hope that eventually it can
be used in the treatment Of disease
through its injection into the blood
streams of the patients.
The two American centerS of re-
search where the researches of DR..
Chadwick and the JolotS have been
supplemented most intensively are
at the University of California. un-
5 der Prof. E. o. Lawrence. and at the
California Institute of Technology.
under DR.. c. c. LauritSen. Both
institutions have apparatus for pro-
ducing high voltage current
necessary for flinging various atomic
particles at different sorts of matter.
Another atomic particle, the
positron or positive electron, was
discovered by DR.. Carl D. Anderson
at the California Institute of Tech
nology in 1882 shortly after DR..
Chadwick's discovery of the neutron.
There is strong possibility that
DR. Anderson'S achievement will win
future Nobel nriZe in physics