Power & terror: a history of the nuclear age

Frank Close explores how the development of nuclear power was propelled by both individual genius and historical chance – with devastating consequences

Published: July 28, 2025 at 2:18 PM

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In the closing years of the 19th century, scientists began recording strange phenomena – mysterious glowing gas, smudges on photographic plates. Findings like these triggered a process of scientific discovery in the field of nuclear physics that would ultimately lead to unprecedented devastation at the end of the Second World War. Speaking to Matt Elton, Frank Close charts the story of the nuclear age.

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Frank Close is the author of Destroyer of Worlds: The Deep History of the Nuclear Age: 1895-1965 (Allen Lane, 2025).

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Authors

Matt EltonPodcast editor

Matt Elton is the podcast editor at HistoryExtra

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