Lise Meitner changed the world, and the world nearly forgot her. In this episode of Math! Science! History!, Gabrielle Birchak explores Meitner’s brilliant mind, her escape from Nazi Germany, her critical role in discovering nuclear fission, and why the Nobel Committee turned a blind eye. Join us as we honor a scientist who refused to let science become a weapon.

3 Things Listeners Will Learn:

Why Lise Meitner was central to the discovery of nuclear fission, and how her contribution was overlooked by the Nobel Committee.

How the rise of Nazi Germany forced her to flee her lab and live as a stateless refugee.

Why Meitner refused to join the Manhattan Project and what that choice cost her legacy.

Links to Resources:

Some of the following resources contain affiliate links, which I may receive compensation at no cost to you.

Ruth Lewin Sime’s biography: Lise Meitner: A Life in Physics

Original 1939 paper by Meitner and Frisch: “Disintegration of Uranium by Neutrons” (Nature)

Physics Today: A Nobel Tale of Postwar Injustice

Max Planck Society's profile on Meitner: Lise Meitner Archives

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