The Basis of Everything: Rutherford, Oliphant and the Coming of the Atomic Bomb

by Andrew Ramsey

Before the Manhattan Project, before nuclear warfare and the horrors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, there was the twentieth century's great scientific quest to fathom the secrets of the atom. It was through that search for the inner workings of matter that a unique friendship was forged, a partnership that defied academic orthodoxy and altered the course of history.

Centred on the inter-war years - within the ivy clad walls of Cambridge University's famed Cavendish Laboratory, amid the windswept valleys of north Wales, and in the industrial heartland of Birmingham - The Basis of Everything is the story of the coming of the atomic bomb, and how the unlikely union of two scientists - Ernest Rutherford, the son of a New Zealand farmer, and Mark Oliphant, a peace-loving vegetarian from a tiny Australian hills village - would change the world.

The story that bonds Ernest Rutherford and Mark Oliphant is as extraordinary as it is unlikely. They were kindred souls, schooled and steeped in the furthest frontiers of Britain's empire, whose restless intellect and tireless conviction fused in the crucible of discovery at Cambridge University's celebrated Cavendish Laboratory, at a time when nature's deepest secrets were being revealed. Their brilliance illuminated the sub-atomic recesses of the natural world and, as a direct result, set loose the power of nuclear fusion.

It was a heartfelt, enduring partnership, born at the University of Adelaide's modest physics department and then flourishing further in the confines of the Cavendish before ultimately driving the famed Manhattan Project, which produced the world's first nuclear weapons, unleashed to such devastating effect on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Rutherford and Oliphant were men with a shared devotion to pure science, who, through circumstance and necessity, found themselves betrayed as instruments of wars they detested but were duty-bound to prosecute. Consequently, their influence was pivotal in the last great global conflict the world witnessed and in engendering the thermonuclear threat that has held the planet hostage ever since. Yet their pioneering work also lives on in a vast array of innovations seeded by nuclear physics, from radiocarbon dating and TV screens to life-saving diagnostic-imaging devices.

PRAISE FOR THE BASIS OF EVERYTHING

In The Basis of Everything, journalist Andrew Ramsey has succeeded in telling a story so detailed and compelling that even knowing where it leads does not distract from the journey. The Sydney Morning Herald

Genres: Science, History, Biography, Nonfiction

443 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 1, 2019

Reviews

[Claire Baxter · Rating 4 out of 5]

My dad lent me this book a couple of years ago and I thought it sounded vaguely interesting so held onto it but was never interested enough to actually get around to reading it. But thanks to COVID this week I ran out of books and couldn't get to the library so finally picked this one up. It was much better than I expected. The writer has an engaging style that got me through the science, although it got a bit science-heavy towards the middle and I skimmed a couple of pages. Probably a 3.5 but have marked it up because it exceeded my expectations.

[Dennis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has made it to be included in the list of the top most interesting books I have read. It tells the story of two giants of physics - Ernest Rutherfiord and Mark Oliphant, a Kiwi and an Aussie who made their names in the hallowed laboratories of Cambridge. Their discoveries in physics pioneered the development of nuclear energy and the bomb and Oliphant's conflict with the military and the pollies is fascinating reading, as also is his horror at the tearing up of the nuclear exchange agreement by Truman and Churchill's lying placid acceptance. That the author cleverly and skilfully intertwines the stories of both Rutherford and Oliphant while maintaining continuity and interest is no mean feat. I could tell of many other highlights, but I won't except to advise you to read it for yourself.

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A remarkable and impeccable read. Ramsey eloquently weaves together the lives and Earth-shattering science perused by two humble men. Beautiful prose and loping storytelling on every page.

[Joe Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

Starts slowly but turns into really riveting narrative scientific history, especially in its treatment of radar and the Manhattan Project.

[? · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just because you can doesn't mean you should.

[Malcolm Gardner · Rating 4 out of 5]

The world was forever changed by the partnership of these 2 men. Ramsey gives an interesting account of the lives of these two men through a time of great change. Thoroughly recommend.

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having no knowledge of physics beyond rudimentary basics I was interested to read The Basis of Everything, and find that I could vaguely follow the explanations for how Rutherford split the atom. I had this mental vision of him cutting it under a microscope, with a scalpel. Spoiler alert! One needs unstable elements like uranium, electricity and magnets.
The book introduces us to an Australian colleague of Rutherford, Mark Oliphant, who joined the New Zealander to study under him at Cambridge University. Theirs is a physics bromance, with long nights at the laboratory and a fellow love of minute matter.
Ernie, as his wife and friends called him, was heralded as the Greatest scientist of his age. We New Zealanders don't appreciate how much his curiosity and intellect did in terms of heralding the Nuclear age. Albert Einstein the great theorist has a reputation that exceeds our Lord Rutherford of Nelson, but Rutherford was a man of the ages and Andrew Ramsay's book affirms this.
It's a pleasant and rewarding read, and a book I would recommend. Rutherford was famous for his thrift, but I'd advocate buying yourself a copy.

[Rob O'Hearn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Geological Society (UK) chose 2019 as their Year of Carbon. Why not celebrate it by reading this splendid collection of carbon (the main constituent of a paperback)?

Esteemed scientist, author, and classical musician Robert M. Hazen sees carbon as the symphony that weaves together the themes of the many other chemical elements, giving them the chance to become beautiful forms. Symphony in C explores these forms through its sections on earth, air, fire, and water; all ‘movements’ being crucial to life and ubiquitous. The narrative of the book ranges widely: from the ancient origins to the latest in complex polymers, from the building blocks of our bodies to our biggest environmental threat. Our challenging times have emphasised how little we know about carbon, and how we had better get on with the job of finding out more.

This fascinating book is timely, jargon-free, and very readable. Tipped by many to be the science book of the year, it is a great read for Father’s Day too, full of fun facts and anecdotes.

[John A · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. It presents a fascinating perspective on the relationship of two scientific giants during the formative years of atomic discovery. I learned so much about a subject which I previously had little knowledge (or interest) in but this has inspired me to dive deeper into understanding physics.