Destroyer of Worlds: The Deep History of the Nuclear Age: 1895–1965

A Guardian Best Science and Nature Book of 2025. From award-winning science writer Frank Close comes a gripping new history of nuclear power and the brilliant minds that unlocked its awesome—and terrifying—potential.

About the Book: It began innocently in Paris in 1896, when Henry Becquerel noticed a faint, accidental smudge on a photographic plate, sparking a chain of scientific breakthroughs that would change the world forever. In Destroyer of Worlds, Frank Close traces the deep history of the atomic age from its collaborative beginnings to its dark, politicized escalation.

Spanning decades and continents, the narrative follows luminaries like Ernest Rutherford splitting the atom in Cambridge, Enrico Fermi in Rome, Otto Hahn and Lise Meitner in Berlin, and Robert Oppenheimer in the United States. Along the way, Close re-evaluates the vital contributions of trailblazing women—such as Lise Meitner, Ida Noddack, and Irène Joliot-Curie—and sheds new light on historical mysteries, such as the sudden disappearance of brilliant physicist Ettore Majorana. Above all, this is a profound exploration of how human curiosity, personal relationships, and sheer chance combined to unleash a power capable of destroying all life on earth.

Key Features & Benefits:

• Critically Acclaimed: Honored as a Guardian Best Science and Nature Book of the Year.

• Comprehensive Historical Scope: Charts the evolution of nuclear physics from the late 19th-century accidental discoveries through World War II and the escalation of the Cold War.

• Fascinating Biographies: Highlights both famous architects of the atomic age and overlooked figures, offering fresh insights into the contributions of pioneering female scientists.

• Compelling Narrative: Written by acclaimed physicist and author Frank Close, who turns complex scientific history into a thrilling, cautionary tale.