Harry Daghlian

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Harry K. Daghlian Jr. (May 4, 1921 – September 15, 1945) was an American physicist with the Manhattan Project during World War II. He is best known for his accidental death due to radiation exposure, which occurred during an experiment with a plutonium core at the Los Alamos Laboratory in New Mexico.

Early Life and Education

Harry Daghlian was born in Waterbury, Connecticut, to Armenian immigrant parents. He attended Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he studied physics. After completing his undergraduate degree, he continued his studies at Purdue University, where he worked on his graduate research.

Manhattan Project

Daghlian joined the Manhattan Project in 1944 and was assigned to the Los Alamos Laboratory, where he worked on the development of the atomic bomb. His work primarily involved experiments with fissionable materials.

Criticality Accident

On August 21, 1945, Daghlian was conducting an experiment to build a neutron reflector around a plutonium core, later known as the demon core. During the experiment, he accidentally dropped a tungsten carbide brick onto the core, causing it to go supercritical. Daghlian quickly removed the brick, but he received a lethal dose of radiation in the process.

Death and Legacy

Daghlian succumbed to radiation poisoning on September 15, 1945, making him the first known fatality due to a criticality accident. His death highlighted the dangers of working with nuclear materials and led to increased safety protocols in nuclear research.

See Also

• Louis Slotin
• Manhattan Project
• Los Alamos Laboratory
• Criticality accident
• Radiation poisoning