During World War II, German scientists attempted to build a nuclear reactor by using uranium cubes, but they failed miserably. Why did the Germans fail in creating one? And what happened to the uranium cubes?
Fast forward to several years ago. University of Maryland physicist Timothy Koeth received a strange birthday gift from a friend. It was a mysterious heavy metal cube of which he recognized as one of the missing uranium cubes the scientists of Germany had used. Accompanying the gift was a note: "Taken from Germany, from the nuclear reactor Hitler tried to build. Gift of Ninninger." This would begin Koeth’s journey for finding out the origin of the cube he just received. Who was Ninninger? Where are the other cubes?
Learn more of Timothy’s journey over at Ars Technica.
(Image Credit: John T. Consoli/ University of Maryland)