2.        Enrico Fermi was born in Rome, Italy, on September 29,1901.The son of a railway official, he studied at the University of Pisa from 1918 to 1922 and later at the universities of Leyden and Gottingen. He became professor of theoretical physics at the University of Rome in 1927. In 1933 he developed the theory of beta decay, postulating that the newly-discovered neutron decaying to a proton emits an electron and a particle which he called ‘neutrino’. Continuing his work on irradiation of uranium with neutrons Fermi received the Nobel Prize in 1938 for "his discovery of the new radioactive elements produced by neutron irradiation, and for the discovery of nuclear reactions brought about by slow neutrons". With increasing concerns of living under the Italian Fascist regime, he migrated to USA as a professor of physics at Columbia University. Later he moved to the University of Chicago to be in charge of the first major step in making feasible the building of a bomb. There he supervised the design and assembly of the "atomic pile" , referred to earlier.

3.        Taking into account his significant contributions to " the progress of nuclear science particularly his work on nuclear processes" , to quote the then USAEC Chairman G.T.Seaborg, a new laboratory named after him was established in 1969. Fermi passed away in November 28,1954.

4.        Leo Szilard was another stalwart in the contemporary nuclear research scene.Born in Budapest on February 11, 1898, he received his doctorate from the University of Berlin.He also left Europe during the second world war and ultimately came to USA to continue his research in nuclear science. He collaborated with Enrico Fermi to assemble the first 'atomic pile' and became the co-author of the patent as well. Szilard is also well known for being the real motivating force behind Alfred Einstein to write his famous letter dated August 2, 1939 to President Rooswelt, giving birth eventually to the celebrated Manhattan Project.

5.        The " Nucleonic Reactor" Patent .
 

The invention relates 

"to the general subject of nuclear fission and particularly to the establishment of self-sustaining neutron chain reactions in systems embodying uranium having a natural isotopic content.

"In order to attain a self sustaining chain reaction in a system of practical size, the ratio of the number of neutrons produced in one generation by the fissions, to the original number of neutrons initiating the fissions , must be known to be greater than unity after all neutron losses are deducted, and this ratio of cource is dependent upon the values of the particular constants.

"In the co-pending application of Enrico Fermi , Serial No 534,129, filed May 4, 1944, and entitled " Nuclear Chain Reacting Systems" there is described and claimed a means and method of determing the neutron reproduction ratio for any type of uranium-containing structure.

"We have discovered certain essential principles required for the successful construction and operation of self-sustaining neutron chain reacting systems ( known as neutronic reactors) with the production of power in the form of heat.

"Neutronic reactors have been constructed and operated at various power outputs, in accordance with these principles. 

"Neutron losses caused by absorption of neutrons by U238 could be very substantially reduced by aggregating the uranium into bodies of substantial dimensions.

"Such aggregation will reduce resonance losses when a moderator such as graphite is used.This gain in neutrons , saved for use in the chain, has proved to be one of the major factors in obtaining a sufficiently low over-all neutron loss as to make possible the attainment of a self-sustaining chain reaction in various moderators when other losses are also controlled.

The 60 pages long patent describes in detail essential values of neutron capture cross sections of over 30 odd impurity elements, properties of different fuel-moderator combinations such as uranium with light water, heavy water, diphenyl, beryllium, and graphite, an illustrative neutronic reactor having a solid moderator with detailed sizes and numbers of uranium lumps , same with a liquid moderator, a gas-cooled reactor, specification of 'neutronic purity of uranium and other materials used in the reactor, and so on. Interested persons may refer the patent for details of the eight claims, which by and large includes the very well known fuel-moderator combinations used in nuclear power reactors round the world.

6.        Interestingly enough the first nuclear power reactor was commissioned by the erstwhile Soviet Union in 1954 in Obrinsk, soon follwed very rapidly by USA,UK and all other advanced countries. Importantly enough, the nuclear technology is heavily protected through over 2500 patents held by the respective governmental agencies and also large corporations such as GE, Westinghouse, Hitachi, and so on. Though having achieved near perfection in terms of safety , reliability and economic viability, and offering itself as a viable alternative to cut down the "green house effect", this energy source is still treated as "unforgiving , Faustian alternative" , to quote the well known nuclear scientist A.Weinberg.