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What breakthrough did scientists achieve at the University of Chicago in December 1942?
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nuclear weapon
A test of a U.S. thermonuclear weapon (hydrogen bomb) at Enewetak atoll in the Marshall Islands, November 1, 1952.
On December 2, 1942, a team of physicists led by Enrico Fermi achieved the world’s first self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction at the University of Chicago.312
This historic breakthrough took place in a makeshift laboratory located in a squash court beneath the stands of the university's Stagg Field. The experiment utilized a device known as Chicago Pile No. 1 (CP-1), which was constructed from high-purity graphite blocks and uranium fuel.12
As part of the Manhattan Project, this successful demonstration was a critical milestone in understanding nuclear fission and developing the technology necessary for both atomic bombs and future nuclear power applications.342