Episodes
| Episode | Title | First Broadcast | Repeated | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Sending Secrets To The States | 20240917 | 20240918 (RW) 20240922 (RW) | The little known story of the Welsh scientists who developed atomic weapons and how their research eventually turned to peace. When Britain decided to share secrets about how to build a bomb with America, Cockett born Edward Taffy Bowen was tasked with carrying those secrets and sensitive equipment to the US. But they almost didn't make it! Meanwhile, in Rhydymwyn, north Wales, ground-breaking research contributed to Oppenheimer's work at Los Alamos. As Britain shares atomic secrets with the US, a Welsh boy is dispatched with a package The little known story of the Welsh scientists who worked on atomic weapons The story of the Welshmen from Swansea University who worked on developing atomic bombs. |
| 02 | Clydach Helps Capture The Isotope | 20240924 | 20240925 (RW) 20240929 (RW) |  The little known story of the Welsh scientists who developed atomic weapons and how their research eventually turned to peace. Clydach's Mond Nickel factory which supplied Los Alamos with the mesh they needed to separate the Uranium isotope from the Uranium ore. We discover the story of Swansea born physicist Joan Curran, who after devising the Windows, or chaff system, to help the Air Force, went on to contribute to the Manhattan project. We find out what happened after the bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and how many Swansea scientists went on to take part in building the British Atomic Bombs. Sir Ieuan Maddocks, a miner's son from Gorseinon, considered to have made an ‘outstanding contribution' to the bomb programme. His part in the testing of the British atomic bomb off the coast of Australia got him the nickname – The Count of Monte Bello. DT Lewis, also the son of a miner from Brynmawr doing his PhD in Swansea. Currently nuclear bombs are a deterrent and work continues in defence engineering and technology at the atomic weapons establishment in Aldermaston. We have a rare chance to visit the exterior of the site with a Swansea University scientist who has worked there for 57 years. How did a Swansea nickel factory help Oppenheimer with a key breakthrough? The little known story of the Welsh scientists who worked on atomic weapons The story of the Welshmen from Swansea University who worked on developing atomic bombs |
| 03 | Science For Peace | 20241001 | 20241002 (RW) 20241006 (RW) | The little known story of the Welsh scientists who developed atomic weapons and how their research eventually turned to peace. The third episode tells the story of how some Swansea women led the way in the protests at Greenham common, while others believe that the nuclear deterrent is our only way of maintaining peace. To what extent did the blitz of Swansea influence the scientists at the University? How effective is a nuclear deterrent? We explore motivations and beliefs. Other scientists from Swansea University chose to work at CERN - an establishment that began in the aftermath of the war, exactly 70 years ago – enabling physicists to discover how the universe began and to practise science for peace. Swansea Boys went from being bombed, to building bombs, to forging science for peace. But common to all is the fact that Wales, and Swansea in particular, has a legacy in pioneering and advancing science. As the former Swansea University student, Lyn Evans, who built the Large Hadron Collider at CERN once said. 'We may be a small nation, but we punch well above our weight'. After the war, some turn their research to peace while Swansea women led nuclear protests The little known story of the Welsh scientists who worked on atomic weapons |