World’s First Self-Sustaining Nuclear Chain Reaction Produced

December 2, 1942
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The 34-cent Fermi stamp was issued September 29, 2001, the centennial of his birth.

Virtual Exhibit

On December 2, 1942, the Manhattan Project’s team of scientists produced the world’s first self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction at the University of Chicago. To commemorate this important accomplishment, the Smithsonian National Postal Museum has created this mini-exhibit highlighting different objects with connections to this event.

Created by Adam M. Rosenfeld and Alexander T. Haimann, National Postal Museum

Exhibition

El 2 de diciembre de 1942, el equipo de científicos del Proyecto Manhattan produjo la primera reacción nuclear en cadena autosostenida del mundo en la Universidad de Chicago. Para conmemorar este importante logro, el Museo Postal Nacional ha creado esta miniexposición que destaca diferentes objetos relacionados con este evento.

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