The Atomic Age

From an early age, Theodore Alvin Hall, had shown an astonishing mind for mathematics and physics.  In 1940, Hall had scored some of the highest marks ever on the entrance examination at Columbia University.  Due to extenuating circumstances, however, he was not allowed to enroll. Hall was not deterred.  He went on to attend Queen’s College in New York and would transfer 2 years later to Harvard, where his professors were so impressed with his grades, he was allowed to bypass the first year of his course. While at Harvard, Hall immersed himself in relativity and quantum mechanics and even received a special scholarship for his groundbreaking work.  He became the star pupil of Professor John Van Vleck, one of America’s leading experts in quantum theory. By 1942, Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany were expanding throughout mainland Europe will relative ease and unbeknownst to Hall, Van Vleck had been secretly recruited by the U.S. government to help with the most sensitive undertaking in the country’s history; a project so important, the future of the free world hung in the balance.  Van Vleck would look to ultimately sway the momentum of the war in favor of the Allied forces by adding his star pupil to his team, while at the time, Theodore Alvin Hall was only 18 years old. Go to The Missing Chapter Podcast website for more information, previous episodes, and professional development opportunities. Don't forget to click subscribe!