In simple terms, that assertion is correct, but for those with an expertise in the field, the longer answer to who did it first is almost as complex as the science involved. After all, as particle ...

Sir Ernest Rutherford has been called the 'father of nuclear physics' When Donald Trump claimed US scientists split the atom in his inaugural ... of World War Two German chemists Otto Hahn ...

his declaration that Americans “split the atom” prompted vexed social media posts by New Zealanders, who said the achievement belonged to a pioneering scientist revered in his homeland.

New Zealand in the Atomic Age,” explained via email that “split the atom” is not a precise scientific phrase. It has been used for more than 120 years, she said, to acknowledge scientists ...