The peaceful atom

The recent achievements of science in nuclear physics are truly brilliant. Scientists have not only explained the structure of the atomic nucleus but have also found ways of splitting it. The discoveries of physicists have a very great effect on science and on the life of a mankind.

Tremendous energy is released when the atomic nucleus is split. This energy is millions of times greater than that produced by ordinary chemical reactions, say, by combustion process.

Uranium, which easily lends itself to nuclear fission, is a kind of “fuel’’ the world has never known before. Atomic energy in our country is used for peaceful purposes. It has been used in the creation of the world's first atomic power station to supply electricity to our industrial plants and in the building of the first atomic ice-breaker. This has been followed by the atomic ice-breaker “Arctica” - the first in the world history to reach the North Pole.

Following its discovery, atomic energy was used in two directions – for peaceful purposes in our country, and for preparing a new war in the imperialist countries.

Our country created the world's first atomic power station, which supplies electricity to factories, and built the atomic ice-breaker.

Scientists have not only studied the reaction of atomic nucleus fission but they have opened the way to the fission of atomic nuclear. The heavy atoms of uranium and a number of other trans-uranium elements proved the most suitable where energy has to be obtained from fission, but in the case of energy obtained from fission it was found that the use of the lightest atoms of hydrogen was extremely profitable. These reactions give incomparably more energy than the reaction of fission, but they are very difficult to control.

In many countries scientists are experimenting on nuclear fission reactions in controlled installations.

When this problem is solved it will give mankind an inexhaustible source of energy, for there are atoms of heavy hydrogen in the molecules of water of seas and oceans. But here we again come up against the question of how these new sources of energy will be utilized.

Used for peaceful purposes only, atomic and, in the near future, thermonuclear energy will fundamentally improve the life of all nations.

This energy will be turned to the welfare of humanity. It can be used “to warm up” the Far North, to irrigate deserts, and to electrify regions far from other sources of power. Used for peaceful purposes, this energy will improve the life of man. Control the water level of seas, change the directions of ocean of ocean currents and the course of rivers, and so on.

The peaceful use of atomic energy means more than the solution of power problems. Another peaceful application of atomic energy deals with the radiations or radioactive substances. That radioactive substances, or to use the more common term, radioactive isotopes find a growing application in industry, agriculture, medicine and scientific research is common knowledge.

The invisible radiations radioactive isotopes are giving out are becoming a means for control and automation in industry; they act as catalysts in chemical process, and are powerful factor in biology and medicine. Finally, these same radiations may be used for making small-size, long-lived sources of electric current.

These are only a few of the known ways of using atomic energy for peaceful purposes.

At our universities, research institutes and scientific laboratories we are working to develop the peaceful uses if nuclear power and we believe these efforts will help to bring happiness to ordinary people throughout the world.