Atomic Energy: Harnessing the Atom New inventions are created every day; however, it is the ones who truly change the world who are remembered. The use and discovery of atomic energy has a negative impact on the world due to the danger it poses. Many people around the world believe that the use of atomic energy is a mistake based on past events such as the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The abuse of atomic energy has been shown to damage society and population morale and could potentially destroy entire populations. Scientists of yesteryear helped influence the discoveries that led to the development of atomic energy. In the late 1800s, Dalton created the Atomic Theory which explains atoms, elements, and compounds (Henderson 1). This was important for the study and understanding of atoms for future scientists. Atomic theory was a list of scientific laws regarding atoms and their potential capabilities. Roentagen, used Dalton's findings and discovered X-rays that could pass through solid objects (Henderson 1). Although he did not discover X-ray radiation, he helped lay the foundation for electromagnetic waves. Shortly after Roentagen's discoveries, JJ Thompson discovered the electron responsible for defining the characteristics of the atom (Henderson 2). The electron helped scientists discover why an atom responds to reactions in a certain way and how it received its “personality”. The discoveries of Dalton, Roentagen, and Thompson helped other scientists discover the uses of energy and atomic reactions. Such applications were discovered in the early 1900s using Einstein's equation, which stated that if a chain reaction occurred, reliable and cheap energy could be... middle of paper... Scientists were unaware of the damage it would have caused. would have caused, and many were subsequently made to feel guilty. Atomic energy really changed the world for the worse. Not only was atomic energy dangerous in the past, but currently, as improvements are made in the fission and fusion of an atom, the risk of destroying the world is increasing. Works Cited Henderson, Harry. Nuclear energy. Santa Barbara: Problems of the Contemporary World, 2000.Elish, Dan. The Manhattan Project. Toronto: Scholastic, 2007. Poolos, J. The Atomic Bombing of Hirsoshima and Nagasaki. New York: Info Base Publishing, 2008. Scherer, Glenn, and Marty Fletther. J. Robert Oppenheimer the brain behind the bomb. New Jersey: Enslow Publishers, 2008. “The Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima.” The Manhattan Project An interactive history. Department of Energy. February 7 2010. .