Chicago Pile-1

Chicago Pile-1 was the world's first-ever controlled nuclear chain reaction, built in 1942, during the Manhattan Project. It was a compact pile of uranium and graphite, designed to demonstrate that nuclear fission could be sustained safely and uncontrollably release energy. By carefully managing the arrangement, scientists achieved a self-sustaining reaction, paving the way for nuclear power and weapons. This experiment marked a crucial breakthrough in nuclear physics and energy development, showing how atomic reactions could be harnessed under controlled conditions for scientific and practical purposes.