Lis
e Meitner: The Mother of Nuclear Fission Lise Meitner was one of the most brilliant scientists of the 20th century. Born in Austria in 1878, she went to study in Germany and eventually became a professor at the University of Berlin. Her work in nuclear physics led to her being awarded the prestigious Max Planck Medal in 194
9. However, her contribution to science was overshadowed by her male colleagues, including Otto Hahn, who received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1944 for work that she had played a crucial role in. One of Meitner's most important contributions to science was her part in the discovery of nuclear fission. In the early 1930s, she and Hahn began working together in Berlin, studying the decay of uranium atoms. They discovered that when uranium atoms were bombarded with neutrons, they could be split into smaller atoms, releasing a huge amount of energy in the process. Meitner was able to explain this phenomenon by theorizing that the process involved the release of energy from the nucleus of the atom, a concept that was revolutionary at the time. Unfortunately, Meitner was Jewish, and when Hitler came to power in Germany, she was forced to flee to Sweden in 193
8. Although she continued to work with Hahn via letters and visits, she was not present when Hahn and his assistants discovered nuclear fission in 193
9. Hahn received the Nobel Prize for this discovery, but Meitner's contribution was not recognized until much later. Meitner's life and work show the struggles that she and many other women and minorities faced in a male-dominated field. Despite her immense contributions to science, she was often marginalized and overlooked. Nevertheless, her discoveries helped to shape our understanding of the universe and have had a lasting impact on scientific research. Today, we can recognize Meitner as one of the greatest minds of the 20th century, and a true pioneer in nuclear physics.