The Invention of the Nuclear Reactor

An illustrated inventions story from Wonder Inventions — free to read, with narration.

The Invention of the Nuclear Reactor — an illustrated inventions story, set in Global. 10 illustrated pages, free to read on Wonder Inventions.

The Invention of the Nuclear Reactor — book cover — Wonder Inventions
The Invention of the Nuclear Reactor — an illustrated inventions story, set in Global. 10 illustrated pages, free to read on Wonder Inventions.

Page 1

Petra slumped onto the worn couch, a sigh escaping her lips. "Another blackout, Mom? This is the third time this week!" Her mom sighed back, lighting a handful…
Petra slumped onto the worn couch, a sigh escaping her lips. "Another blackout, Mom? This is the third time this week!" Her mom sighed back, lighting a handful of candles. "I know, sweetie. The village generator is getting old, and the council is still debating about replacements." Petra grabbed her notebook, a spark of curiosity igniting in her eyes. "But how did people power entire cities before electricity?"

Petra slumped onto the worn couch, a sigh escaping her lips. "Another blackout, Mom? This is the third time this week!" Her mom sighed back, lighting a handful of candles. "I know, sweetie. The village generator is getting old, and the council is still debating about replacements." Petra grabbed her notebook, a spark of curiosity igniting in her eyes. "But how did people power entire cities before electricity?"

Page 2

Stefan, Petra's grandmother, chuckled from her armchair. "Ah, Petra, always full of questions! People used all sorts of ingenious methods, but nothing like what…
Stefan, Petra's grandmother, chuckled from her armchair. "Ah, Petra, always full of questions! People used all sorts of ingenious methods, but nothing like what we have today." Petra leaped up and raced to her room, the leather notebook clutched tightly in her hand. "My Invention Encyclopedia will know!" she exclaimed, pulling the large, glowing book from her shelf and flipping it open on her desk.

Stefan, Petra's grandmother, chuckled from her armchair. "Ah, Petra, always full of questions! People used all sorts of ingenious methods, but nothing like what we have today." Petra leaped up and raced to her room, the leather notebook clutched tightly in her hand. "My Invention Encyclopedia will know!" she exclaimed, pulling the large, glowing book from her shelf and flipping it open on her desk.

Page 3

The room shimmered, the familiar swirling light engulfing her! As the dizziness subsided, Petra gasped, the Encyclopedia tumbling to the cobblestones.
The room shimmered, the familiar swirling light engulfing her! As the dizziness subsided, Petra gasped, the Encyclopedia tumbling to the cobblestones. A sign swinging above read: "University of Chicago, 1942." Hiro, a determined 12-year-old male, lean and athletic, with pale freckled skin and short straight reddish-brown hair with a cowlick, materialized beside her. "Whoa! Where are we now?"

The room shimmered, the familiar swirling light engulfing her! As the dizziness subsided, Petra gasped, the Encyclopedia tumbling to the cobblestones. A sign swinging above read: "University of Chicago, 1942." Hiro, a determined 12-year-old male, lean and athletic, with pale freckled skin and short straight reddish-brown hair with a cowlick, materialized beside her. "Whoa! Where are we now?"

Page 4

A man bumped into Petra, nearly knocking her over. "Sorry, miss!" he said, his brow furrowed with concern. "Busy day – world's at war, and we're trying to…
A man bumped into Petra, nearly knocking her over. "Sorry, miss!" he said, his brow furrowed with concern. "Busy day – world's at war, and we're trying to unlock the secrets of the atom!" He hurried into a nearby building. "Secrets of the atom?" Petra muttered, picking up her book. "Wait a minute... I think I know who that was! Let's go, Hiro!"

A man bumped into Petra, nearly knocking her over. "Sorry, miss!" he said, his brow furrowed with concern. "Busy day – world's at war, and we're trying to unlock the secrets of the atom!" He hurried into a nearby building. "Secrets of the atom?" Petra muttered, picking up her book. "Wait a minute... I think I know who that was! Let's go, Hiro!"

Page 5

Inside the lab, they found Erik hunched over complex diagrams, muttering to himself. Petra approached cautiously. "Excuse me, sir? Are you...
Inside the lab, they found Erik hunched over complex diagrams, muttering to himself. Petra approached cautiously. "Excuse me, sir? Are you... Erik Fermi?" Erik looked up, surprised. "Why, yes, I am. And who might you two be?" Hiro, ever the inquisitive one, blurted out, "Are you building the first nuclear reactor? We read about it!"

Inside the lab, they found Erik hunched over complex diagrams, muttering to himself. Petra approached cautiously. "Excuse me, sir? Are you... Erik Fermi?" Erik looked up, surprised. "Why, yes, I am. And who might you two be?" Hiro, ever the inquisitive one, blurted out, "Are you building the first nuclear reactor? We read about it!"

Page 6

"Indeed we are," Erik replied, a hint of pride in his voice. "We're calling it 'Chicago Pile-1.' We're trying to create a self-sustaining nuclear chain…
"Indeed we are," Erik replied, a hint of pride in his voice. "We're calling it 'Chicago Pile-1.' We're trying to create a self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction. It's a tricky process – we've faced many setbacks!" He gestured to a pile of graphite bricks. "These will moderate the reaction. We need to control the neutrons! It is like Albert Einstein says ' the important thing is to not stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existence.'"

"Indeed we are," Erik replied, a hint of pride in his voice. "We're calling it 'Chicago Pile-1.' We're trying to create a self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction. It's a tricky process – we've faced many setbacks!" He gestured to a pile of graphite bricks. "These will moderate the reaction. We need to control the neutrons! It is like Albert Einstein says ' the important thing is to not stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existence.'"

Page 7

"What kind of setbacks?" Petra asked, scribbling furiously in her notebook. "Well," Erik said, rubbing his chin, "getting the right materials was difficult.
"What kind of setbacks?" Petra asked, scribbling furiously in her notebook. "Well," Erik said, rubbing his chin, "getting the right materials was difficult. Uranium is rare. Controlling the reaction is even harder. If it goes too fast, it could become... unstable." He paused, a worried look on his face. "That's why we're using control rods made of cadmium to absorb the neutrons and slow things down."

"What kind of setbacks?" Petra asked, scribbling furiously in her notebook. "Well," Erik said, rubbing his chin, "getting the right materials was difficult. Uranium is rare. Controlling the reaction is even harder. If it goes too fast, it could become... unstable." He paused, a worried look on his face. "That's why we're using control rods made of cadmium to absorb the neutrons and slow things down."

Page 8

Suddenly, alarms blared! Scientists rushed about, shouting. "The reaction is accelerating! Control rods are jammed!" Erik yelled, his face pale.
Suddenly, alarms blared! Scientists rushed about, shouting. "The reaction is accelerating! Control rods are jammed!" Erik yelled, his face pale. "We need to shut it down, NOW!" Petra remembered something from her encyclopedia – boron absorbs neutrons even better than cadmium! "Boron!" she shouted. "Do you have any boron? Throw it on the pile!"

Suddenly, alarms blared! Scientists rushed about, shouting. "The reaction is accelerating! Control rods are jammed!" Erik yelled, his face pale. "We need to shut it down, NOW!" Petra remembered something from her encyclopedia – boron absorbs neutrons even better than cadmium! "Boron!" she shouted. "Do you have any boron? Throw it on the pile!"

Page 9

A scientist grabbed a container of boron powder and hurled it onto the pile. The reaction slowed, the alarms died down, and silence fell over the lab.
A scientist grabbed a container of boron powder and hurled it onto the pile. The reaction slowed, the alarms died down, and silence fell over the lab. Erik breathed a sigh of relief. "You saved us, young lady! How did you know about the boron?" Petra grinned. "My Invention Encyclopedia knows everything!"

A scientist grabbed a container of boron powder and hurled it onto the pile. The reaction slowed, the alarms died down, and silence fell over the lab. Erik breathed a sigh of relief. "You saved us, young lady! How did you know about the boron?" Petra grinned. "My Invention Encyclopedia knows everything!"

Page 10

Back in her room, Petra closed the Encyclopedia. She ran to her mom and Stefan, who were still sitting in the candlelight.
Back in her room, Petra closed the Encyclopedia. She ran to her mom and Stefan, who were still sitting in the candlelight. "Mom, Grandma, did you know that nuclear reactors power a HUGE part of the world now? They generate over 10% of the world's electricity! It started right here at the University of Chicago. But they need constant control and care to work safely!" The lights flickered, then burst back on.

Back in her room, Petra closed the Encyclopedia. She ran to her mom and Stefan, who were still sitting in the candlelight. "Mom, Grandma, did you know that nuclear reactors power a HUGE part of the world now? They generate over 10% of the world's electricity! It started right here at the University of Chicago. But they need constant control and care to work safely!" The lights flickered, then burst back on. "Looks like the village generator is back up, thanks to people like Erik Fermi!"

About this story

  • Location: Global
  • Audience: kids (ages 6–12)

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