#manhattan-project

#manhattan-project

The contamination traces back to the Manhattan Project, the US-led World War II research and development effort that produced the first atomic bombs. Much of the radioactive material was improperly stored, leaving it exposed to wind and rain for decades. Over time, the waste spread into nearby Coldwater Creek, and a 2025 study found that individuals who lived near the creek during childhood face an increased risk of cancer from prolonged exposure to the contaminated water.

In December 1942, the first experiment to achieve a sustained nuclear reaction occurred beneath the University of Chicago in a reactor called 'Chicago Pile 1.' This marked confirmation of Szilard's theoretical idea of nuclear chain reactions, where a reactions can continue and sustain itself.