Historical FiguresPhysicist
Elise Meitner
1878 - 1968
Physicist who co‑discovered nuclear fission but was overlooked for Nobel
Quick Facts
Born
1878
Died
1968
Profession
Physicist
Nationality
Austrian‑born German‑Swedish
Biography
Austrian‑born Meitner joined Berlin's Kaiser‑Wilhelm Institute, collaborating with Otto Hahn. Fleeing Nazi persecution, she interpreted Hahn's results as fission, publishing with nephew Otto Frisch. Element 109, meitnerium, honours her.
Historical Significance
Meitner's insight unlocked atomic energy, influencing reactors and weapons while symbolising women's contributions to science
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