Was unlocking uranium’s secrets the most earth-shaking event of the 20th century? (image: Viking)

IN THE 1500s, Bohemian miners stumbled upon a mineral they called pitchblende, and deemed it worthless. It wasn’t until the start of the 20th century and the early experiments of Marie Curie that the mysteries of this uranium-containing ore began to pique the interest of physicists.

In a book that is more history than science, Tom Zoellner traces uranium’s fingerprints across the ensuing 100 years, from the ultra-secrecy of the Manhattan project to nuclear power’s recent resurgence. Some might question his thesis that unlocking uranium’s …