The Wild Life of the Father of Nuclear Theory

Discover alpha and beta radiation, Radon, and the nucleus!  In 1909, a quirky and engaging New Zealander named Ernest Rutherford gave his co-worker’s new assistant some busywork to get him used to the equipment.  Rutherford wasn’t expecting to find any results.  Instead, the assistant found something startling. 

Rutherford decided that the only way these results made any sense was if almost all the mass was smushed in a tiny area, an area he called the nucleus!  What did this assistant do an...