Chicago Pile-1
Chicago Pile-1 (CP-1) was the world's first nuclear reactor, constructed at the University of Chicago as part of the Manhattan Project. It was led by physicist Enrico Fermi and his team in December 1942.
About
It was led by physicist Enrico Fermi and his team in December 1942. The reactor consisted of a pile of graphite blocks and uranium oxide, which created a controlled, self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction. CP-1 was critical in proving the feasibility of controlled nuclear reactions and generating a controlled nuclear chain reaction for the first time. This success paved the way for the development of nuclear power and atomic weapons. CP-1 was decommissioned after a year of operation due to the need for more advanced reactors. Today, a National Historic Landmark plaque marks the original site of CP-1.