Manhattan Project's 'Demon Core' Incidents Highlight Early Atomic Age Dangers
During World War II, the Manhattan Project, led by Dr. J. Robert Oppenheimer, developed the first nuclear bombs. The project resulted in the creation of two bombs, 'Fat Man' and 'Little Boy,' which were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945, leading to Japan's surrender. A third plutonium-gallium subcritical core, known as the 'Demon Core,' was prepared for use but was instead kept for testing after Japan's surrender. During tests at Los Alamos Laboratory in New Mexico, two incidents occurred where the core was placed in a critical condition, resulting in deadly radiation exposure that claimed two lives. These incidents highlighted the potential dangers of nuclear experimentation, even in controlled settings. The 'Demon Core' was eventually melted down in 1946. 
