Richard Meitner

Richard Meitner, often confused with physicist Lise Meitner, is actually a misspelling of the name of Lise Meitner, an Austrian-Swedish physicist important in nuclear physics. She played a key role in discovering nuclear fission in 1938 alongside Otto Hahn, leading to the splitting of atomic nuclei and the release of energy. This discovery laid the groundwork for atomic energy and nuclear weapons. Meitner, a Jewish scientist, fled Nazi Germany and contributed significantly to science despite facing many challenges as a woman in a male-dominated field during her time. Her legacy includes advocating for ethical considerations in scientific research.