Half-Life : The Divided Life of Bruno Pontecorvo, Physicist or Spy

It was at the height of the Cold War, in the summer of 1950, when Bruno Pontecorvo mysteriously vanished behind the Iron Curtain. Who was he, and what caused him to disappear? Was he simply a physicist, or also a spy and communist radical? A protégé of Enrico Fermi, Pontecorvo was one of the most promising nuclear physicists in the world. He spent years hunting for the Higgs boson of his day—the neutrino—a nearly massless particle thought to be essential to the process of particle decay. His work on the Manhattan Project helped to usher in the nuclear age, and confirmed his reputation as a brilliant physicist. Why, then, would he disappear as he stood on the cusp of true greatness, perhaps even the Nobel Prize? In __Half-Life__, physicist and historian Frank Close offers a heretofore untold history of Pontecorvo’s life, based on unprecedented access to Pontecorvo’s friends and family and the Russian scientists with whom he would later work. Close takes a microscope to Pontecorvo’s life, combining a thorough biography of one of the most important scientsts of the twentieth century with the drama of Cold War espionage. With all the elements of a Cold War thriller—classified atomic research, an infamous double agent, a possible kidnapping by Soviet operatives—__Half-Life__ is a history of nuclear physics at perhaps its most powerful: when it created the bomb.physics at perhaps its most powerful: when it created the bomb. Bruno Pontecorvo Dedicated His Career To Hunting For The Higgs Boson Of His Day-- The Neutrino, A Nearly Massless Particle Considered Essential To The Process Of Nuclear Fission. His Work On The Manhattan Project Under Enrico Fermi Confirmed His Reputation As A Brilliant Physicist And Helped Usher In The Nuclear Age. He Should Have Won A Nobel Prize, But Late In The Summer Of 1950 He Vanished. At The Height Of The Cold War, Pontecorvo Had Disappeared Behind The Iron Curtain. In Half-life, Physicist And Historian Frank Close Offers A Heretofore Untold History Of Pontecorvo's Life, Based On Unprecedented Access To His Friends, Family, And Colleagues. With All The Elements Of A Cold War Thriller-- Classified Atomic Research, An Infamous Double Agent, A Kidnapping By Soviet Operatives-- Half-life Is A History Of Particle Physics At Perhaps Its Most Powerful: When It Created The Bomb. Midway On Life's Journey -- First Half. From Pisa To Rome ; Slow Neutrons And Fast Reactions : 1934-1936 ; Paris And Politics : 1936-1940 ; The First Escape : 1940 ; Neutrons For Oil And War : 1940-1941 ; East And West : 1941-1942 ; The Pile At Chalk River : 1943-1945 ; Physics In The Open : 1945-1948 ; Maneuvers : 1945-1950 -- Interlude. West To East -- Half Time. Chain Reaction : 1949-1950 ; From Abingdon-- To Where? : 1950 ; The Dear Departed : 1950 ; The Mi5 Letters -- Second Half. In Dark Woods ; Exile ; Resurrection ; Mr. Neutrino ; Private Bruno -- Afterllife. The Right Road Lost. Frank Close. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 319-366) And Index. It was at the height of the Cold War, in the summer of 1950, when Bruno Pontecorvo mysteriously vanished behind the Iron Curtain. Who was he, and what caused him to disappear? Was he simply a physicist, or also a spy and communist radical? A protégé of Enrico Fermi, Pontecorvo was one of the most promising nuclear physicists in the world. He spent years hunting for the Higgs boson of his day#x97;the neutrino#x97;a nearly massless particle thought to be essential to the process of particle decay. His work on the Manhattan Project helped to usher in the nuclear age, and confirmed his reputation as a brilliant physicist. Why, then, would he disappear as he stood on the cusp of true greatness, perhaps even the Nobel Prize? In Half-Life, physicist and historian Frank Close offers a heretofore untold history of Pontecorvo's life, based on unprecedented access to Pontecorvo's friends and family and the Russian scientists with whom he would later work. Close takes a microscope to Pontecorvo's life, combining a thorough biography of one of the most important scientsts of the twentieth century with the drama of Cold War espionage. With all the elements of a Cold War thriller#x97;classified atomic research, an infamous double agent, a possible kidnapping by Soviet operatives#x97;Half-Life is a history of nuclear physics at perhaps its most powerful: when it created the bomb.physics at perhaps its most powerful: when it created the bomb It was at the height of the Cold War, in the summer of 1950, when Bruno Pontecorvo mysteriously vanished behind the Iron Curtain. Who was he, and what caused him to disappear? Was he simply a physicist, or also a spy and communist radical? A protege of Enrico Fermi, Pontecorvo was one of the most promising nuclear physicists in the world. He spent years hunting for the Higgs boson of his day -- the neutrino -- a nearly massless particle thought to be essential to the process of particle decay. His work on the Manhattan Project helped to usher in the nuclear age, and confirmed his reputation as a brilliant physicist. Why, then, would he disappear as he stood on the cusp of true greatness, perhaps even the Nobel Prize? In Half-Life, physicist and historian Frank Close offers a heretofore untold history of Pontecorvo's life, based on unprecedented access to Pontecorvo's friends and family and the Russian scientists with whom he would later work. Close takes a microscope to Pontecorvo's life, combining a thorough biography of one of the most important scientists of the twentieth century with the drama of Cold War espionage. With all the elements of a Cold War thriller -- classified atomic research, an infamous double agent, a possible kidnapping by Soviet operatives -- Half-Life is a history of nuclear physics at perhaps its most powerful: when it created the bomb. Physics at perhaps its most powerful: when it created the bomb. It was at the height of the Cold War, in the summer of 1950, when Bruno Pontecorvo mysteriously vanished behind the Iron Curtain. Who was he, and what caused him to disappear? Was he simply a physicist, or also a spy and communist radical? A protégé of Enrico Fermi, Pontecorvo was one of the most promising nuclear physicists in the world. He spent years hunting for the Higgs boson of his day—the neutrino—a nearly massless particle thought to be essential to the process of particle decay. His work on the Manhattan Project helped to usher in the nuclear age, and confirmed his reputation as a brilliant physicist. Why, then, would he disappear as he stood on the cusp of true greatness, perhaps even the Nobel Prize? In Half-Life , physicist and historian Frank Close offers a heretofore untold history of Pontecorvo’s life, based on unprecedented access to Pontecorvo’s friends and family and the Russian scientists with whom he would later work. Close takes a microscope to Pontecorvo’s life, combining a thorough biography of one of the most important scientsts of the twentieth century with the drama of Cold War espionage. With all the elements of a Cold War thriller—classified atomic research, an infamous double agent, a possible kidnapping by Soviet operatives— Half-Life is a history of nuclear physics at perhaps its most powerful: when it created the bomb.physics at perhaps its most powerful: when it created the bomb. Describes the life of the Italian nuclear physicist who worked on the Manhattan project, helping to bring about the nuclear age, before he vanished in 1950 behind the Iron Curtain amidst whispers that he had been a Soviet spy