March 2025
Leó Szilárd
The man behind the bomb
by Arne Molfenter
Leó Szilárd is a brilliant physicist - although he originally began his studies in Berlin without even being enrolled. On long walks home from university, he discusses scientific issues of all kinds with his professor and neighbour Albert Einstein. Szilárd, who is of Jewish descent, flees to London in 1933. His goal is to prevent the Germans from being the first to have nuclear weapons. With Albert Einstein and other scientists, he puts himself at the service of the American government to advance the development of an atomic bomb for defence purposes. When he realises that the Manhattan Project is not about defence, but about an attack on Japan, he is horrified. Author and journalist Arne Molfenter traces the life of this brilliant man whose invention was used completely against his intentions. It is an exciting book about a scientist whose research influenced the course of history.
