The Discovery and the Science of Nuclear Energy
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute

The path to nuclear energy began with the discovery of radioactivity and the quest to understand it. In class we will follow that path as we describe the many experiments and insights that led to our understanding of nuclear energy. We will prepare for our trek with a summary of physics concepts that will provide background knowledge. Along our journey, we will see how radioactivity was used to reveal the structure of atoms. Although nuclear energy was used destructively in World War II, it is used today to generate electricity and has many applications in medicine.