About
Edward Teller was a nuclear physicist born in Budapest in 1908. After studies in Germany, he emigrated to the United States in 1935. He contributed to theoretical physics (Jahn-Teller effect, BET theory) and worked on the Manhattan Project. He is best known for his role in developing the hydrogen bomb, often called the 'father of the H-bomb'. He co-founded Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and testified against Oppenheimer in 1954. He died in 2003.
* 1908-01-15 — † 2003-09-09
Major works
- The Jahn-Teller Effect (1937)scientific paper
- The Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) Theory (1938)scientific paper
- The Teller-Ulam Configuration (1951)technical design
Key milestones
- 1939Drove Szilard and Wigner to Einstein's home, leading to the Einstein-Szilard letter to President Roosevelt.
- 1952Co-founded Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
- 1954Testified against J. Robert Oppenheimer's security clearance.
Themes
Nuclear physicsNuclear weaponsStrategic defenseScientific researchScience policy
Sources: britannica.com · llnl.gov · osti.gov