Ed Vebell (American, 1921 - 2018) "Nuclear Fission" Signed lower right. Original Acrylic painting on Illustration Board. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This artwork was originally published on the Fleetwood Commemorative Cover for Epic Events in American History series issued in 1985. Since the beginning of time, mankind has searched for sources of energy. However, it was not until 1934 that the Hungarian physicist Leo Szilard formulated a theory of a nuclear chain reaction with limitless power, and took out a patent on the idea. By that time physicists everywhere -- Bohr in Denmark, Heisenberg in Germany, Lawrence in California -- were working feverishly on the problem of splitting the atom to create unprecedented power. When Hitler launched his crusade to conquer the world, he assigned physicists the task of making an atomic bomb. Fearful that the atomic bomb would give Hitler certain victory, Leo Szilard urged his associate Albert Einstein to warn President Roosevelt of this immeasurable threat. Roosevelt responded promptly by creating the Manhattan Project to make the bomb. The masterminds of the project were recruited largely from Europe -- Nils Bohr from Denmark, Einstein from Germany, Fermi from Italy, Szilard from Hungary and nearly one hundred other scientists recruited from a dozen countries. The group worked out the scientific and engineering problems and produced the first atomic chain reaction on December 2, 1942. On July 16, 1945, the first atomic bomb was exploded at Los Alamos, with a force that astonished even its makers. When Churchill heard the news, he exclaimed prophetically, "This is the Second Coming -- in wrath." Today, nuclear power is harnessed not only for weapons, but also as a source of energy. Image Size: 19.75 x 22.25 in. Overall Size: 26.5 x 27.5 in. Unframed. (B05752)