Lise Meitner

Co-discovered nuclear fission, explaining with Otto Frisch how a uranium nucleus splits.

Specifications & Metrics

era

1878 – 1968

Core Principles & Analysis

• With Otto Frisch in 1938-39, gave the first theoretical explanation of nuclear fission and named the process.
• Discovered the element protactinium with Otto Hahn in 1917.
• Element 109, meitnerium, honors her; she never received the Nobel Prize despite dozens of nominations.