Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Joseph Rotblat, the Bomb and Anomalies from His Archive

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Science and Engineering Ethics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Professor Sir Joseph Rotblat made significant contributions to nuclear physics and worked on the development of the atomic bomb. He walked out of the Manhattan Project after working there for less than a year, the only scientist to do so. Rotblat gave a comprehensive account of his time at Los Alamos. His Archive is now becoming available and papers contained therein are inconsistent with some aspects of his account. The reasons as to how such anomalies and contradictions could occur are considered.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Kember, N. (2006). Personal reminiscences from St. Bartholomew’s. In P. Rowlands & V. Attwood (Eds.), War and peace: The life and work of Sir Joseph Rotblat (p. 165). UK: The University of Liverpool Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rotblat, J. (1944a). Churchill Archives Centre, The Papers of Joseph Rotblat, RTBT, D.53A.

  • Rotblat, J. (1944b). Churchill Archives Centre, The Papers of Joseph Rotblat, RTBT, D.53B.

  • Rotblat, J. (1944c). Churchill Archives Centre, The Papers of Joseph Rotblat, RTBT, D.52C.

  • Rotblat, J. (1985). Leaving the bomb. Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists (pp. 18–25). [Reprinted in Underwood, M. (2009). Joseph Rotblat: A man of conscience in the nuclear age (p. 95). Sussex Academic Press].

  • Rotblat, J. (1999–2002). British library sound archive (call number F7208 onwards). This is some 20 hours of interviews given in his own house. Transcripts are not available.

  • Underwood, M. (2008). Joseph Rotblat: Influences, scientific achievements and legacy. Physics Education, 43, 604–612.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Underwood, M. (2009a). Joseph Rotblat and the moral responsibilities of the scientist. Science and Engineering Ethics, 14, 129–134.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Underwood, M. (2009b). Joseph Rotblat: A man of conscience in the nuclear age (p. 95). Sussex Academic Press.

Download references

Acknowledgments

I am grateful to the staff of Churchill Archives Centre, Churchill College, Cambridge for their help and support. I am most thankful for financial support from The British Academy.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of the History and Philosophy of Science, Cambridge University, Cambridge, UK

    Martin C. Underwood

  2. Sub-Department of Particle Physics, Department of Physics, Oxford University, Oxford, UK

    Martin C. Underwood

Authors
  1. Martin C. Underwood
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Martin C. Underwood.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Underwood, M.C. Joseph Rotblat, the Bomb and Anomalies from His Archive. Sci Eng Ethics 19, 487–490 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11948-011-9345-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11948-011-9345-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation