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The Dayton Project was a crucial, though often overlooked, component of the Manhattan Project. This top-secret initiative was responsible for the research and production of polonium-210, a radioactive element vital for the triggering mechanism of the atomic bombs developed during World War II. The Dayton Project’s polonium research and production facilities, spread across several sites in Dayton, played a key role in the successful completion of the Manhattan Project.
Located in Dayton, Ohio, The Dayton Project brought together some of the era’s brightest scientific minds, including scientists from the Monsanto Chemical Company. These experts worked under strict secrecy, producing polonium-210, which was used in the initiators of the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The Dayton Project’s successful production and refinement of polonium-210 were critical to the functioning of the atomic bombs, underscoring Dayton’s key role in the broader efforts of the Manhattan Project.
The research conducted in Dayton laid the groundwork for advancements in nuclear energy and radiation safety.