Ernest Rutherford

Splitting atoms of Uranium 235 releases enough energy to flatten an entire city. While Albert Einstein discovered the formula that led to nuclear physics, the father of nuclear physics is commonly known as Ernest Rutherford. Rutherford was born in New Zealand on August 30th, 1871. "[He] and his siblings received a good education because of parents who appreciated education: his father because he hadn't had much and his mother because she had." (Campbell). After he left Canterbury the first time, "[Ernest] returned to Canterbury College where he took geology and chemistry for a BSc degree" (Campbell). From then on, he worked with many scientists throughout England discovering things like radioactivity, the nucleus of the atom, and electromagnetism. His generosity helped him become the great man he is known as today, and the assistance he provided to scientists throughout Europe helped the world become a better place. He even protected the public by trying to minimize the amount of soldiers. Rutherford is deserving of the title hero because of his values and the inspiration he provides the rest of us.

Ernest inspired the world with his extreme generosity. His students, in particular, noticed his generosity because they were subject to it frequently. "Often he would do the preliminary work then hand the topic to a student or colleague. He never put his name on Geiger and Marsden's paper announcing large angle scattering of alpha rays, nor on Chadwick's paper announcing the neutron, nor on Cockcroft and Wilson's paper announcing the splitting of the atom using a particle accelerator." (Campbell). Rutherford began these papers before giving them to his student to finish and take credit for. He generously directed all success and credit to his colleagues and students. "In one celebrated year, 1932, Cavendish researchers discovered the neutron, and purposefully split lithium atoms, both experiments resulting in Nobel prizes. As his fame grew he became a popular public lecturer around the world." (Tulloch). Ernest was the head researcher at Cavendish in 1932 and started most of the projects they did. However, he received his Nobel Prize in 1908. These projects, which he started, also resulted in Nobel Prizes but he didn't receive them. Essentially, Ernest gave Nobel Prize winning projects to his students and colleagues without claiming any credit at all. All scientists covet a Nobel Prize, so essentially handing one off to a colleague is a big deal. Rutherford's generosity in these acts contributes to his overall hero qualities.

Rutherford was an inspiration to our society because of his assistance to others around him. He assisted the war effort against Germany in World War 1 when he "... led the delegation to transfer submarine detection knowledge to them."(Campbell). Rutherford had developed the idea of the hydrophone and used it to detect submarines. He didn't hesitate to give this information to the US. He wasn't selfish with his research or want to keep it in his own country. He also unintentionally paved the way for other sciences, such as nuclear physics. "[His] work led inexorably to the developments in nuclear physics of the 1920s and 1930s that culminated with the discovery of nuclear fission in 1938" (Dekosky). This research has led to more scientific discoveries, assisting the future in its progression towards understanding the world. His discovery of the nucleus of an atom gives us power and knowledge. With the knowledge of the nucleus we can understand that electrons orbit it, and thus understand how photons are emitted. Ernest's assistance, even unintentionally has led to a better place in the world.

Rutherford inspired our society by protecting the public. "He fruitlessly advised the American Government to use young scientists on problems associated with war work and to not waste their lives and skills in the trenches. (One of his brightest students, Harry Moseley, on track for a Nobel Prize for his work on using X-rays to probe the electronic structure of atoms, had been killed in Turkey.)" (Campbell). This drive to protect people may be rooted in his loss of his student, but it is protection nonetheless. He strived to end the fighting as much as he could because he believed that people are worth more than that of a single soldier. Rutherford believed in using his and others intelligence to further science, rather than killing. For example, "When late for a military meeting he explained that the importance of his science experiment was "far greater than that of the war." He was in fact busy splitting the atom!" (Tulloch). He cared far more about his work in chemistry and physics than his military roles. Simply by participating less in war, he showed his opposition and distaste for the conflict. This opposition emphasizes his philanthropic qualities. Rutherford focused on his work rather than the war and urged governments to utilize less people as soldiers and more as scientists.

Rutherford is an inspiration to our society because of his hero like qualities. Rutherford's generosity showed when he directed his fame towards his students and colleagues after achieving a Nobel Prize in chemistry. He also assisted his fellow scientists and the world to discover nuclear physics, the nucleus, and radioactivity. He also helped protect intellectuals after recognizing that the US government was using them as soldiers. This motivated him to suggest that scientists work as scientists and not as soldiers. Rutherford inspires us by being generous, helpful, and philanthropic. He supported others around him and helped them work to their full potential. "Rutherford made sure each of the researchers had an interesting topic on which to work." , inspiring us to help our classmates and colleagues have fun with their work (Pasachoff 70). He worked endlessly which "led inexorably to the developments in nuclear physics" (Dekosky). This drive to succeed along with his generosity, philanthropic tendencies, and assistance of everyone around him makes him an inspiration to our society. These qualities are what make our heroes so heroic and inspires people worldwide to be better. Rutherford's exceptional qualities definitely make him worthy of the title 'Hero'.