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Manhattan Project

Definition

The Manhattan Project was a top-secret research project undertaken by the United States during World War II to develop an atomic bomb. It involved scientists from various disciplines working at multiple sites across America.

Analogy

Think of the Manhattan Project as a high-stakes science fair competition where brilliant minds come together to invent something groundbreaking. However, instead of creating cool gadgets or new technologies like hoverboards or time machines, they are focused on developing a powerful weapon.

Related terms

Enrico Fermi: Enrico Fermi was an Italian physicist who played a crucial role in nuclear physics and worked on creating controlled nuclear chain reactions as part of the Manhattan Project.

Los Alamos National Laboratory: Located in New Mexico, Los Alamos National Laboratory was one of the key sites where scientists worked on developing atomic weapons as part of the Manhattan Project.

J. Robert Oppenheimer: J. Robert Oppenheimer was an American physicist and one of the leading scientists involved in the development of the atomic bomb during the Manhattan Project.