Podcast Summary: In Our Time – Lise Meitner
Episode Information:
- Title: Lise Meitner
- Host: BBC Radio 4’s In Our Time
- Release Date: June 5, 2025
Overview: In this episode of In Our Time, host Melvyn Bragg delves into the life and scientific contributions of Lise Meitner, a pioneering physicist whose work was crucial in the discovery of nuclear fission. Joined by experts Jess Wade, Frank Close, and Anne Bruce Sutherland, the discussion navigates through Meitner’s early life, her groundbreaking research, the challenges she faced as a woman and Jewish scientist during Nazi Germany, and the legacy she left behind.
1. Early Life and Education
[05:09] Annie Newbond: "Lise Meitner was born in 1878 in Vienna into a progressive, liberal household that valued education. Encouraged to pursue higher education, she kept a science logbook from the age of ten, demonstrating her early passion for science."
Challenges for Women in Science: Despite her enthusiasm, Meitner faced significant barriers due to gender restrictions. She had to undertake private tuition and pass exams at boys’ schools to gain university admission. In 1901, she became the second woman to earn a PhD in physics from the University of Vienna.
[06:29] Annie Newbond: "Meitner entered university after undergoing private tuition and passing exams at boys' schools, highlighting the limited opportunities for women at the time."
2. Scientific Career and Collaboration with Otto Hahn
Meeting Max Planck and Otto Hahn: Meitner moved to Berlin, where she met Max Planck, who initially allowed her to audit his lectures. Recognizing her brilliance, Planck employed her as an assistant in 1912, making her the first woman professor of physics in 1926.
[08:36] Melvin Bragg: "Meitner was incredibly precise in her experiments, earning the respect of her peers through her meticulous work and innovative approaches."
Discovery of Protactinium: Together with Otto Hahn, Meitner isolated protactinium (element 91), contributing significantly to the periodic table and radioactivity studies.
3. The Discovery of Nuclear Fission
[27:00] David Dimbleby: "Frank Close explains how Meitner and Otto Hahn's experiments eventually led to the discovery of nuclear fission."
Key Insights: While Otto Hahn initially believed he had discovered transuranic elements, Meitner and her nephew Otto Frisch realized that the uranium nucleus was splitting into smaller elements, a process they aptly named "fission."
[33:38] Melvin Bragg: "The moment when fission was discovered was during a snowy walk in Sweden, where Meitner and Frisch had their groundbreaking insight."
Impact of the Discovery: This revelation not only revolutionized physics but also set the stage for the development of nuclear energy and atomic weapons.
4. Challenges Under Nazi Regime and Emigration
Rise of the Nazis: With Hitler’s rise to power, Meitner, being Jewish, faced intense persecution. Despite holding a Protestant identity, her Jewish heritage endangered her life and career.
Escape from Germany: In 1938, through the assistance of international physicists like Niels Bohr, Meitner was smuggled out of Germany to Sweden. This escape was fraught with fear and uncertainty.
[32:14] Anne Bruce Sutherland: "After fleeing Germany, Meitner was systematically excluded from scientific publications, with Hahn omitting her name despite her crucial contributions."
5. Nobel Prize Controversy
Otto Hahn’s Nobel Prize: In 1944, Otto Hahn was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the discovery of nuclear fission. Meitner was conspicuously excluded, a decision widely regarded as unjust.
Reasons for Exclusion: Several factors contributed, including Meitner’s gender, her Jewish background, and the geopolitical climate post-World War II. Additionally, the Nobel Committee’s disciplinary biases played a role.
[41:28] Anne Bruce Sutherland: "The Nobel Committee's decision was influenced by both gender and disciplinary biases, leading to an oversight of Meitner's essential contributions."
6. Legacy and Recognition
Posthumous Honors: Over the years, Meitner’s contributions have been increasingly recognized. An element, meitnerium, was named in her honor, making her the only woman to have an element named solely after her.
[52:06] Anne Bruce Sutherland: "Meitner is now one of the few individuals to have an element named after them, rectifying some of the historical injustices she faced."
Continued Impact: Her work laid the foundational understanding of nuclear physics, and she is celebrated for both her scientific prowess and unwavering humanity.
[55:23] Annie Newbond: "Despite facing immense personal and professional challenges, Meitner remained dedicated to her science and advocated for its ethical use."
7. Conclusion
Lise Meitner’s story is one of brilliance intertwined with adversity. Her scientific achievements were monumental, yet societal prejudices prevented her from receiving due recognition during her lifetime. Today, her legacy serves as both an inspiration and a reminder of the importance of equity in scientific communities.
Notable Quotes:
- Jess Wade [05:09]: "She kept a little science logbook under her pillow from the age of ten."
- Annie Newbond [06:29]: "She had to pass exams at boys' schools to gain university admission."
- Melvin Bragg [08:36]: "Meitner was incredibly precise in her experiments, earning the respect of her peers through her meticulous work."
- Anne Bruce Sutherland [32:14]: "After fleeing Germany, Meitner was systematically excluded from scientific publications."
- Annie Newbond [55:23]: "Meitner remained dedicated to her science and advocated for its ethical use."
Final Thoughts: Lise Meitner’s contributions to physics, particularly in the discovery of nuclear fission, are monumental. Her perseverance in the face of gender and racial discrimination highlights the broader struggles within the scientific community of her time. This episode of In Our Time not only honors her scientific legacy but also underscores the ongoing importance of recognizing and rectifying historical injustices in the realm of science.