X-10 Graphite Reactor, Nuclear research reactor in Oak Ridge, United States.
Description
The X-10 Graphite Reactor is a nuclear research facility in Oak Ridge featuring a massive graphite block with 1,248 horizontal channels for conducting experiments. Heavy concrete shielding surrounds the structure to protect against radiation.
History
Built in 1943 as part of the Manhattan Project, this facility produced plutonium for weapons development during World War II. After the war it transitioned to peaceful research applications.
Culture
The reactor represents an early chapter in nuclear energy development and shows how scientists worked to harness a new technology. Today it stands as a reminder of how industrial science reshaped modern society.
Practical
Visits are organized through the American Museum of Science and Energy with guided tours showing the facility. It helps to check in advance when tours are available and if registration is needed.
Did you know?
The facility ran continuously for twenty years producing radioisotopes used worldwide in medical and agricultural applications after its military role ended. This peaceful use of nuclear technology was just as important as its original purpose.
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