Edward Teller

Edward Teller is best known for his work on the American nuclear program, specifically as a member of the Manhattan Project during World War II, his role in the development of the hydrogen bomb, and his long association with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (which he co-founded and was a director). He achieved infamy in the 1950s due to his controversial testimony in the security clearance hearing of his former Los Alamos colleague Robert Oppenheimer, and as such became ostracized from much of the scientific community. He continued to find support from the U.S. government and military research establishment, particularly for his advocacy for nuclear energy development, a strong nuclear arsenal, and a vigorous nuclear testing program.

• Former Board of Sponsors, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

Quotable Quotes

• "The main application of nuclear explosives for peaceful purposes is in a field best described as geographical engineering. The best example of this type of enterprise is a sea-level Isthmian canal."

Edward Teller, "The Use of Nuclear Energy" in The Conservative Papers, Anchor Books, 1964, page 215.

• "Nuclear reactors have become the most economical source of electrical energy.... Such a reactor will produce 400,000 kilowatts of electricity, and could be used to produce plutonium sufficient for dozens of nuclear explosives per year.... Thus, fissionable material which can be used in nuclear explosives would, in the normal course of events, become quite widespread throughout the world in the not too distant future."

Edward Teller to Honorable Nelson A. Rockefeller, March 6, 1969, page 1.

• "...proliferation of nuclear reactors can easily lead to proliferation of nuclear weapons."

Edward Teller to Honorable Nelson A. Rockefeller, March 6, 1969, page 1.

• "If as much as 10% of the fissionable material can be surreptitiously extracted from the reactors, each 1,000 megawatt reactor would still be able to produce several nuclear explosives per year. Rigorous inspection procedures will not be able to prevent clandestine removal of as much as a couple of percent of the material"

Edward Teller to Honorable Nelson A. Rockefeller, March 6, 1969, page 2.

• "Unfortunately, the distinction between weapons-grade plutonium and reactor-grade plutonium has been mistakenly overemphasized.... It is wishful thinking to believe that the composition of plutonium will be a sufficient guarantee against misuse of reactor products in making nuclear explosives."

Edward Teller to Honorable Nelson A. Rockefeller, March 6, 1969, page 2..

• "The ample materials in the reactors will make it possible for this proliferation to occur at an exceedingly rapid rate."

Edward Teller to Honorable Nelson A. Rockefeller, March 6, 1969, page 2.

Articles and Resources

Sources

Edward Teller to Honorable Nelson A. Rockefeller, March 6, 1969, The Rockefeller Archive Center, Family Collection, Record Group: Nelson A. Rockefeller, Series 34, Sub-series 4, Box 43, Folder 1171.

External Articles

• "Edward Teller (1908 - 2003)", National Science Digital Library, accessed April 2008.

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