Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Strange Connections
On this date (February 27th) in 1940, Martin Kamen and Sam Ruben discovered the isotope of Carbon 14 (although they didn't develop Carbon 14 dating - that was done in 1949 by Willard Libby).
Kamen, Ruben, and Libby were all involved in science-related war research. Kamen and Libby were associated with efforts to build the atomic bomb; Ruben worked on poisonous gases (an accident involving poisonous gas killed Ruben in 1943).
Kamen was fired from the Manhattan Project in 1944, after he was caught talking to the Soviets about atomic research. Years later, he participated in a global warming denial effort. Nasty guys never give up!
Yet, he was a recipient of the Enrico Fermi Award by the U.S. government, and he was also honored with the Albert Einstein World Award of Science. Go figure!
Kamen, Ruben, and Libby were all involved in science-related war research. Kamen and Libby were associated with efforts to build the atomic bomb; Ruben worked on poisonous gases (an accident involving poisonous gas killed Ruben in 1943).
Kamen was fired from the Manhattan Project in 1944, after he was caught talking to the Soviets about atomic research. Years later, he participated in a global warming denial effort. Nasty guys never give up!
Yet, he was a recipient of the Enrico Fermi Award by the U.S. government, and he was also honored with the Albert Einstein World Award of Science. Go figure!
