SCIENCE AND THE NATION
N December 2, 1943, an Italian-born scientist, Enrico Fermi, working in Chicago University for the. American Government, first demonstrated with his uranium-graphite reactor that he could release nuclear energy, could control it and also stop it. His success was immediately reported to those few concerned "in the secret project in a code message particularly apt for the birth of the new nuclear age: "The Italian navigator has just landed in the new world." Sir Edward Appleton, introducing the 1956 Reith Lectures, Science and the Nation, in the Radio Times, uses Fermi’s nuclear plant and its direct though immensely more powerful descendant Calder Hall Power Station as examples to illustrate his thesis that the large-scale pattern of scientific research is a "national triangle . . . with three equal sides" that has "University Science, Government Science and Industrial Science situated respectively at its three corners." For Fermi, he explains, had a number of basic scientific discoveries made by others as well as himself to prompt him to this work, discoveries made by people in universities and similar institutions whose aim had been. "not to disnr nn ee eee ren ts | ane een meme
close a new source of energy, but to do research-pure research-into the nature of atomic nuclei. As soon as the suggestion of a practical usefulness arose, however, both the American and English Governments supported the idea of turning the prospect into a reality. Calder Hall is that reality, designed by the Atomic Energy Authority, but consisting of material components built by British industry. The three respective research organisations of University, Government and Industry, and their inter-relationship, are all considered in detail in these Reith Lectures, as well as the connection between the results wished for and the problems chosen in all three cases. The first talk of Science and the Nation will be heard from 1YC at 10.20 p.m., Thursday, September 26, and
the second the following Saturday (September 28) at 10.0 p.m. The titles of the six lectures in the series are as follows: "Our National Need of Science," ‘The Lessons of War," "Science for Its Own Sake,’ "Science for a Purpose (1) — Government Science," "Science ‘for a Purpose (2)-In-dustrial Science," and "Science and Education." The series will begin later from other YCs. a
Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/NZLIST19570920.2.51.1
Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka
New Zealand Listener, Volume 37, Issue 945, 20 September 1957, Page 31
Word count
Tapeke kupu
378SCIENCE AND THE NATION New Zealand Listener, Volume 37, Issue 945, 20 September 1957, Page 31
Using this item
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
Material in this publication is protected by copyright.
Are Media Limited has granted permission to the National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa to develop and maintain this content online. You can search, browse, print and download for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Are Media Limited for any other use.
Copyright in the work University Entrance by Janet Frame (credited as J.F., 22 March 1946, page 18), is owned by the Janet Frame Literary Trust. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this article and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the New Zealand Listener. You can search, browse, and print this article for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from the Janet Frame Literary Trust for any other use.
Copyright in the Denis Glover serial Hot Water Sailor published in 1959 is owned by Pia Glover. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this serial and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the Listener. You can search, browse, and print this serial for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Pia Glover for any other use.
Log in