The Hydrogen Bomb

The most destructive bomb humans have created has remained the same since 1952. It is called the hydrogen bomb, a lethal combination of our scientific research and our foolish desire for power. I researched the first fifteen years of the bomb’s life, from 1945 to 1960, not only researching on the bomb itself but other important events of the time period. I found it was very evident that science was influenced by other factors. Even more impressive was that history was largely influence by science. The development of the hydrogen bomb and humans’ attempts to control its power were intertwined with the events of the time, as will be seen.
First, we will look at a brief history of the hydrogen bomb itself. World War II ended in 1945 when the US used an atomic bomb on Hiroshima. An atomic bomb uses fission to produce an explosion, and was the first nuclear weapon discovered. Countries were developing this new weapon rapidly after the end of the war. However, in 1948, sci...