Radiation Timeline
Category: Other
Updated: 8 Jun 2018
- Joshi Ha
Contributors
Created byJoshua Ha
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Events
Wilhelm Konrad RoentgenAntoine-Henri BecquerelMarie and Pierre Curie discover that thorium gives off "uranium rays," which Marie renames "radioactivity."
Marie and Pierre Curie discover polonium and announce the existence of another new radioactive element they
name radium.
Paul Ulrich VillardErnst Rutherford
Fritz Geisel, Antoine-Henri Becquerel, and Marie Curie prove that beta rays consist of high-speed electrons.Paul Ulrich Villard is the first to observe that gamma radiation is more penetrating than x‑rays.Wilhelm Konrad Roentgen wins the Nobel Prize in physics for his discovery of x‑rays.
X‑rays are shown to be lethal to mammals through experiments conducted by W.H. Rollins.Antoine-Henri Becquerel and, Pierre and Marie Curie share the Nobel Prize for physics, Becquerel for his
discovery of natural radioactivity, and the Curies for their study of radioactivity.
First observation notes that radioactivity can induce tissue and organ damage.
George Perthes discovers that x‑rays can inhibit the growth of tumors and proposes the use of x‑rays in the
treatment of cancer.First reports linking x‑rays to leukemia and cancer in physicians is published.
Arthritis patient dies from Radium-226 injections.Hundreds of young women working in plants in New York and Illinois are accidentally exposed to a luminous
paint containing radium while painting dials for watches and clocks.Hans Geiger unveils his radiation detector.British Roentgen Society proposes standards for radiation protection of workersFirst x‑ray protection committee is formed by the American Roentgen Ray Society.Film badges first developed to measure exposures to radiation.
Amelia Maggia is first of the "Radium Dial Painters" to die from radiation poisoningFirst radiation tolerance dose proposed by Arthur Mutscheller for use as a guide to limiting exposure of an
individual to radiation.H.J. Muller shows that mutations can be induced in Drosophila melanogaster by low levels of x‑rays.Charles Lauritsen develops high-voltage x‑ray machine for radiation therapyThe "Martyrs Memorial" is erected in Hamburg, Germany containing the names of 169 physicians and
technicians who died from radiation-induced diseases.Otto Hahn is the first to split the atom of uranium, opening up the possibility of a chain reactionLise Meiter, who worked with Otto Hahn on splitting the uranium atom, leaves Austria as World War II is
beginning and goes to Sweden. She publishes a paper on the work she did with Hahn, and this paper
stimulates the drive to produce the atomic bomb.Glenn Seaborg discovers plutonium.
The U.S. Committee on X‑ray Protection recommends adoption of maximum body burden of 0.1
microCurie for radium.
L.S. Taylor recommends lowering the x‑ray exposure dose to 0.02 Roentgens/day.The Manhattan Project is formed to secretly build the atomic bomb; Los Alamos, New Mexico, is selected as
the site
H.M. Parker shows that a radiation dose of 4 Roentgens/day is hazardous to humans.
The world's first nuclear reactor is activated Oak Ridge, Tennessee.Studies exploring the toxicology of uranium begins at the University of RochesterFirst atomic bomb is exploded in the desert near Alamagordo, New Mexico.
Little Boy,” the second atomic bomb, is dropped on Hiroshima.
"Fat Man,” the hird atomic bomb, is dropped on Nagasaki.
The Joint Committee for the Investigation of the Effects of the Atomic Bomb in Japan formed.
Eighteen human subjects are injected intravenously with plutonium at Los Alamos to determine how it is
distributed in the body and what adverse effects are induced.
Nuclear physicist and future Director of the Oak Ridge NationaOak Ridge National Laboratory forms a Biology Division for the purpose of studying the biological effects of
radiation.
Argonne National Laboratory is established as the nation's first national laboratory devoted to exploring the
applications and effects of radiation.
Helmuth Ulrich publishes paper showing leukemia rate among radiologists to be 8 times higher than in other
medical doctors.
Bill and Liane Russell begin their extensive experiments with mice to study the genetic effects of radiation
Congress pAtomic Bomb Casualty Commission (ABCC) created to study the biological effects of radiation on Japanese
atomic bomb survivors.
Ames Laboratory established in Iowa as a result of a projectUSSR explodes its first atomic bomb.President Truman calls for atomic testing of nuclear weapons in the continental United States in addition
to testing in the Pacific.
Studies of the effects of radium on beagle dogs begin at the University of Utah and the University of California
at Davis.First atomic test occurs in Nevada; five bombs detonated on successive days. Radioactive fallout reaches the
New England area in two days.Several state health officials in areas exposed to nuclear fallout from the Nevada bomb tests conducted during
the 1951-1954 period begin speaking out on the possible adverse health effects of bomb fallout.Elihu Thomson
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