1937, Palermo: la scoperta del tecneto

Abstract

The Italian and international scenario of Physics and Chemistry in the thirties will be described, in order to introduce and better understand the successive steps that followed to the discovery of element 43 (Technetium). Of course, more emphasis will be given to the academic life in Palermo, where the discover took place: main characters and bit actors will be treated to give a full picture of the milieu. Finally, a glance will be given to the political events preceding and following the discover, and their consequences on people involved, as the possibility to realize in Palermo a multi disciplinary research team of high level, working on innovative arguments, was deeply compromised by the so-called racial laws. Also described will be some instruments, specifically built in Palermo, to measure the radioactivity of the different samples, during the chemical manipulations that led to the insulation of trace of technetium.