Edward Teller

Edward Teller (1908–2003) was a Hungarian-American physicist best known for his contributions to nuclear physics and for his role in the development of the hydrogen bomb. Often referred to as the "father of the hydrogen bomb," Teller played a pivotal role in the Manhattan Project during World War II, which developed the first atomic bombs. After the war, he advocated for the development of more powerful thermonuclear weapons.

A boosted fission weapon is a type of nuclear weapon that enhances the yield of its fission reaction through the use of a small amount of fusion fuel. In a typical fission bomb, the energy released comes primarily from nuclear fission, which is the splitting of heavy atomic nuclei (such as uranium-235 or plutonium-239) into lighter nuclei, releasing energy in the process.

The Teller-Ulam design is a foundational concept in nuclear weapon design that describes a configuration for thermonuclear weapons, commonly known as hydrogen bombs. The design was developed in the early 1950s and is named after its principal architects, physicist Edward Teller and mathematician Stanislaw Ulam. ### Historical Context 1. **Early Nuclear Weapons (1940s)**: The first nuclear weapons, developed during World War II under the Manhattan Project, were fission bombs (atomic bombs).