IMPACT STORY

RESEARCH THAT LED TO THE CREATION OF ARGONNE ALSO INITIATED THE NUCLEAR POWER AGE On December 20, 1951, Argonne’s Experimental Breeder Reactor-I lit a string of four light bulbs, thus providing the world’s first observable amount of nuclear-powered electricity.

THE FOUNDATIONAL DISCOVERY THE ADVANCEMENTS On December 2, 1942 — with the In order to effectively create THE IMPACT U.S. in the midst of World War II — electricity from nuclear power, ☐☐ Today, more than 400 nuclear physicist Enrico Fermi and his team Argonne — collaborating with other reactors — most stemming at the Metallurgical Laboratory at national laboratories — developed from Argonne’s foundational the University of Chicago gathered the theoretical physics for making research — provide 11% in a room that contained a pile of materials strong enough to withstand of the world’s electrical graphite brick, uranium oxide and the reaction. A new reactor — known power. In Chicago, nuclear uranium metal. as the National Reactor Testing power provides 85% of the city’s electricity. The arrangement — dubbed Chicago Station — was established at Argonne Pile-1 — was precisely designed to National Laboratory West in Idaho. ☐☐ Argonne’s research led enable a self-sustained, controlled On December 20, 1951, Argonne’s to the construction of the nuclear chain reaction, where Experimental Breeder Reactor-I USS Nautilus, the first uranium atoms split apart and left lit a string of four light bulbs, thus nuclear-powered submarine, loose neutrons to shoot off and split providing the world’s first observable which ran for 50,000 miles apart other atoms. Just before 4 p.m., amount of nuclear-powered electricity. without refueling and the reactor reached criticality, thus From there, Argonne helped the instantly transformed ushering in the nuclear power age. U.S. Navy build the reactor for the first worldwide submarine and anti‑submarine tactics. After the war ended, Fermi and team’s nuclear-powered submarine. Argonne work was moved west of Chicago and also contributed to the 1955 powering evolved into the nation’s first national of Arco, Idaho — a town of 1,200 and the first nuclear-powered community. CONTACT laboratory — Argonne National Argonne National Laboratory Laboratory — which was focused 9700 South Cass Avenue on creating new ways to produce Lemont, Illinois 60439 inexpensive, carbon-free, nuclear- Phone: 630-252-2000 based electricity. Email: [email protected] www.anl.gov

February 2020