Nuclear Energy (sculpture), Chicago

Crafted to symbolize both a human skull and a mushroom cloud, this abstract bronze structure serves as a commemoration of the pivotal moment that occurred on December 2, 1942. It was at this juncture that Enrico Fermi and his fellow scientists achieved achieved the first controlled, self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction—an event of immense significance in demonstrating the feasibility of creating an atomic bomb. This historic step into the atomic age unfolded within the confines of a squash court situated beneath the bleachers of the now-demolished Stagg Field, which occupied the location where the Regenstein Library stands today.

The selection of Chicago as the project's headquarters was strategic, owing to the city's preexisting pool of accomplished physicists and chemists, its central geographic location far from the coasts, and the availability of ample space and housing. Under the veil of top secrecy, the location was codenamed "the Metallurgical Laboratory" within the broader "Manhattan Project" scientific mission.

Dubbed "Chicago Pile-1", the pioneering nuclear reactor marked the commencement of the Atomic Age; however, after the experiment, it was disassembled and relocated to a more secluded site within a forest preserve outside Chicago. The original location was subsequently designated as a National Historic Landmark on February 18, 1965.