Early Adventures in Radioactivity

Dr Neil Dickinson


Regions:
Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Essex, Hertfordshire
Notice Period:
Emergency (maybe less than one week's notice)
Type:
Hobby
Fee:
Paid: ca. £60 plus travel depending on distance
Category:
History
Updated:
6th November 2025

Hiroshima*, Nagasaki, Chernobyl - names that make the blood run cold, but 130 years ago radioactivity was completely unknown. My goodness, how things have moved on since then, and yet it all started so innocently. This illustrated talk looks at how radioactivity has always been present, how and where the early mining of Earth’s mineral resources led to discoveries in nuclear science and some of the characters involved. Oddly, until he recently realised it, the speaker’s parents’ bedroom had unknowingly contained a link to this story of radioactivity. Might something in your home do so as well? Length of talk 45 to 50 minutes, but can be adapted to suit.

*Did you know Hiroshima translates from Japanese as “Broad Island”? It doesn’t seem to sound so chilling like that does it?

Views: 1766 | Enquiries: 4

About Dr Neil Dickinson

My working life was spent as an industrial chemist and I have enjoyed a variety of other interests about which I now make presentations. I’ve always been particularly fascinated by the ingenuity and brilliance of humans over history to develop resources and shape them to our own needs, be it for great good or to terrible ends, and sometimes for both, as accepted wisdom and circumstances have often changed over time and we view the world differently. Operating within about one hour’s drive from home, I nowadays present a variety of illustrated talks - long, short or emergency notice is possible - on various topics with, when appropriate, a degree of humour attached. I have found that I rather look forward to questions from my audience at the end of the talks as they can often reveal some fascinating further details and discussion. It’s good to meet and talk!


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